Ali Ndume, the Chief Whip of the Senate, has provided an explanation for his departure from the Senate chamber after Senate President Godswill Akpabio ruled him out of order on Tuesday.
The incident occurred when Ndume invoked a point of order to raise concerns about “procedural errors” within the chamber. Akpabio, however, refused to allow him to complete his speech, stating that the section quoted by Senator Ndume did not match the content of Order 54, which he cited.
Consequently, Akpabio ruled Ndume out of order, leading to the Senator’s departure from the chamber.
In an interview with BBC Hausa, Ndume clarified the situation, explaining that it all began when Senator Kawu Sumaila proposed an urgent motion regarding the closure of the border between Nigeria and Niger.
Initially, there was a debate on whether the motion was genuinely urgent. However, the President of the Senate allowed Senator Sumaila to finish his statement. Following the motion presentation, it was agreed that, given its security implications, the discussion should be postponed.
Ndume indicated that he intended to convey the importance of the motion to the Senate at this point. However, Senate President Akpabio denied him the opportunity to speak.
Ndume stated, “I would like to clarify that the motion, although impactful, falls outside the jurisdiction of the Nigerian Senate. The border closure was not initiated by the President of Nigeria but during his tenure as President of ECOWAS. Thus, he has the authority to advocate on our behalf. To address this matter, it is imperative to involve our nation’s President, but I was not afforded the opportunity to convey this message.”
Furthermore, Ndume mentioned that the situation coincided with the prayer time, prompting his departure from the chamber. He conveyed his intention to pray to his deputy before leaving, but his colleagues and the media subsequently misconstrued his departure.
In related news, Senator Elisha Abbo, who the Appeal Court recently ousted, has publicly apologized to Akpabio for previously accusing him of orchestrating his removal from the Senate. Abbo initially claimed that Akpabio targeted him due to his opposition to Akpabio’s bid for Senate President. However, he later retracted his statements, acknowledging that Akpabio was not involved in his Senate exit.