Senate Plenary Erupts As Akpabio And Lawan Clash In Heated Argument

Senate Plenary Erupts As Akpabio And Lawan Clash In Heated Argument

Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Senate President Ahmed Lawan clashed in a heated argument during Thursday’s plenary session over the official starting time of Senate proceedings……. CONTINUE READING

According to Senate rules, sessions are scheduled to begin at 10 am, but due to frequent tardiness among lawmakers, sessions often commence much later, sometimes around 11 am or later.

During the session, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele proposed an amendment to officially shift the starting time from 10 am to 11 am. This proposal met opposition from Lawan, who argued that the reason for the change—to align with the House of Representatives—was not sufficiently justified.

Lawan emphasized that starting earlier at 10 am allowed for more productive sessions, as lawmakers were more energetic in the mornings. He also pointed out concerns that extending sessions until 3 pm would overlap with committee work.

In response, Akpabio reminded Lawan that the 11 am start time had been practiced during Lawan’s tenure in the 9th Senate, which Lawan disputed. Akpabio suggested that starting at 11 am did not necessarily mean sessions would last until 3 pm, proposing they could conclude earlier.

Amid the escalating debate, Senator Bamidele intervened, citing senators’ demanding schedules that often included late-night committee work and oversight duties, making a 10 am start challenging.

To defuse tensions, Akpabio called for an emergency executive session to address the matter privately among senators.