Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Wednesday posited that members of the upper legislative chamber will often disagree over issues but will not engage in physical combat.
Information Nigeria reports that Akpabio’s comment stems from the disagreement between him and Ali Ndume, Chief Whip of the Senate, on Tuesday.
Ndume who was dissatisfied with the manner the Senate President had been presiding over the affairs of the red chamber, raised a point of order citing a section in the rule book of the upper assembly.
However, Akpabio ruled Ndume out of order, making him walk out of the Senate chamber in protest.
Speaking with reporters after a meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the presidential villa, Akpabio said as politicians there is no hatred between them.
His words: “In the parliament, sometimes you disagree. We are all working in one accord. There is no problem at all.
“Even if some people disagree on some of the happenings in the Senate, still, it is only the majority decision that is going to prevail and the parliament is like that.
“We will never get to the point of throwing chairs. We will never get to that point. The Senate is too mature, full of mature people, so, if we have a disagreement, we immediately go into a closed session, resolve it and come out smiling.
“We are politicians, no permanent hatred but permanent interest.”
Akpabio said supporting Tinubu’s government to deliver on its promises is the only paramount interest.
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Meanwhile, in an interview with British Broadcasting Corporation Hausa, Ndume explained his reason for leaving when the matter related to the closing of Nigeria’s borders was being debated.
He explained that the situation originated “when Senator Kawu Sumaila proposed a motion which he said was urgent on closing the border between Nigeria and Niger.
At first, it was argued that the motion was not urgent, but the president of the Senate let him finish what he wanted to say.
“After hearing the motion, it was agreed that since it is related to security, it should be suspended.”
According to him, it was at that point he wanted to explain the importance of the motion to the chamber, but the Senate President denied him the opportunity to speak.
“I would like to clarify that the motion, although impactful, falls outside the jurisdiction of the Nigerian Senate.
“The closure of the border was not initiated by the President of Nigeria, but rather during his tenure as President of ECOWAS. As such, he has the authority to advocate on our behalf.
“In order to address this matter, it is imperative to involve the President of our nation, but I was not afforded the opportunity to convey this message.
“While this was happening, it coincided with the time of prayer, prompting my departure. Consequently, my colleagues misconstrued my exit, and the journalists changed the meaning of my exit,” Ndume said.
He said he told his deputy that he was going to pray, and then he left.
