Tension gripped the Senate as Chief Whip Senator Ali Ndume staged a walkout in protest, prompting Senate President Godswill Akpabio to call for an emergency closed session during the plenary session.
Ndume raised a point of order, citing Senate Standing Order 54, which was ruled out of order by Akpabio.
The Chief Whip expressed concerns about the proceedings in the chamber, which he believed were not in compliance with the rules and regulations.
In his words, Ndume said, “Mr. President, there are some things we do in this chamber that are against the rules. Sir, nobody is too big to learn.”
Senate President Akpabio called for a copy of the Standing Orders, read Order 54, and concluded that it did not support Ndume’s point, subsequently ruling him out of order.
In an apparent display of anger, Ndume collected his files, left the chamber, and proceeded to his office. He later returned to participate in an ongoing executive session after being called back to the chamber by a colleague.
While the Senate and Ndume have not officially commented on the incident, sources close to the Senate’s leadership clarified that the Chief Whip did not storm out of plenary but left temporarily due to a misinterpretation of an order.
The closed-door session aimed to discuss Senate affairs, including an upcoming retreat, executive communications, and the confirmation of certain nominees for appointment. Seniors were free to leave and return to their seats during plenary sessions.
The incident was primarily attributed to a misinterpretation of an order by Senator Ndume.
