The Senate on Wednesday had a rowdy session over argument on sitting arrangement.
The argument ensued when the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, refused to allow former Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, to contribute to a Point of Order raised by Senator Bassey Akpan.
Akpan had raised a point of order accusing the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State of plotting to cause chaos in the 2019 general elections.
Saraki refused to acknowledge Akpabio’s contribution, saying he would not be allowed to speak unless from his seat.
He said: “Former Minority Leader, you know you cannot speak from there. Go to your seat, when you get to your seat, I will recognise you,” he said.
The Leader of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, was, however, not comfortable with Saraki’s position, and stood up to defend Akpabio.
He said: “As it stands today in this chamber, there is no organised sitting arrangement. If he decides to sit there, let him.
“There is no microphone there. Let us not take the Panadol for his headache. Let me advise that even though we have only six, seven months to go, let’s do what is right,” he said.
In the course of his comment, the lawmakers began to talk at random, thereby throwing the chamber into a rowdy session.
The lawmakers refused to calm down in spite of Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu’s intervention.
The situation, however, became relatively calm when Akpabio stood up to explain that the seat was allocated to him by the Clerk of the Senate.
“The seat was allocated to me by the clerk and I expect that you were notified. The embarrassment I got today was uncalled for.
“I demand an apology, not just written but verbal too,” Akpabio said.
Akpabio was, however, made to apologise and the lawmakers proceeded with other matters.
