Tempers flay in Senate as Akpabio shuts down Sen. Ndume

*Nigerians are suffering -Sen Kawu

By Andrew Oota

Tempers went high in the Senate Tuesday as Senate President Godswill Akpabio shut down the Senate Whip Ali senator Ndume’s point of order on alleged errors in a motion by senator Kawu Sumaila on the need to re-open the Nigerian boarder to Niger Republic .

Senator Ndume had called on the Senate President to insist that senator Kawu explains the title of his motion which was rebuffed by the Senate President.

Ndume rose throuh order 51 of the Senate standing rules and requested the Senate President to allow for correction of any error made or observed in plenary .

According to him” 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”, he said .
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But Akpabio quickly intercepted him by saying having ruled on issues raised , it can not be revisited and consequently ruled Ndume out of order.

Senator Sunday Karimi ( APC Kogi West ) , spiritedly attempted to sustain Ndume’s line of arguement through another point of order but was also switly ruled out of order by Senate President , Godswill Akpabio .

In a trouble shooting effort , the Deputy President of the Senate , Jibrin Barau quickly rose to read order 16 , which requires a substantive motion to be moved by any Senator for correction or review of earlier decision taken.

Sustaining of Barau’s point of order by Akpabio , infuriated Ndume by raising another point of order ( order 54) to seek for correction of perceived error .

But without being allowed to make 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 closed door which is still on , as at the time of filling this report.

Addressing the press ,senator Kawu said his motion was to enforce the constitutional rights of Nigerians to freely move and engage into legitimate businesses .

According to senator Kawu, the closure of the Nigeria -Niger boarder has created an untold hardship on Nigerians who live within the boarders and have scuttled there businesses .

He pointed out that the boarder closure has created more insecurity and lead to more job lost .

He was of the opinion that the hardship was more on Kebbj, Sokoto ,Zamfara, Katsina,Jigawa,Yobe,Borno and Kano states and violates the constitutional rights of the people ,stressing that the policy was meant to force the Niger Junta backwards and should not be allowed to unleash such hardship on Nigerians doing there legitimate businesses .