The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, yesterday, requested an urgent closed-door meeting of the Senate during plenary after the Chief Whip of the Senate, Sen. Mohammed Ali Ndume, stormed out of the chamber, following a ruling that deemed him out of order.
Ndume had raised a Point of Order on alleged errors committed and not corrected by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio.
The error referred to by Ndume, was a Motion moved by Senator Sumaila Kawu for debate on the need for re-opening of Nigerian-Niger Border, without stating the title of his Motion.
Ndume, who rose through order 51 of the Senate standing rules, requested the Senate President to allow for correction of any error made or observed in plenary.
The Senator said, “This is the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, guided by laws, rules and procedures. If in the course of proceedings at any session, errors are observed, they must be corrected before forging ahead with such proceeding”.
However, Akpabio quickly intercepted him by saying that having ruled on issues raised, it cannot be revisited, and consequently ruled Ndume out of order.
A Senator, Sunday Karimi, spiritedly attempted to sustain Ndume’s line of argument through another Point of Order, but was also swiftly ruled out of order by the Senate President.
In a troubleshooting effort, the Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, quickly rose to read Order 16, which requires a substantive Motion to be moved by any Senator for correction or review of the earlier decision taken.
Sustaining Barau’s Point of Order by Akpabio infuriated Ndume, who raised another Point of Order (Order 54) to seek correction of the perceived error. However, without being allowed to make a full presentation of his argument, the President of the Senate ruled him out of order again.
Angered by Akpabio’s decision, Ndume packed his documents and furiously stormed out of the chamber.
Apparently, perplexed by the scenario, Senators hurriedly went into the closed-door session.
