Akpabio, Lawan spat over sitting time, prompting Senate’s emergency executive session

The Senate abruptly went into a closed-door emergency session on Thursday after an intense argument erupted among senators over the official sitting hours of the Upper Chamber.

A spat broke out between current Senate President Godswill Akpabio and his predecessor, Sen. Ahmed Lawan, centering on the scheduling of plenary sessions.

According to the Senate’s rules, the official commencement time is 10 a.m.

Despite the official starting time, Senate sessions have allegedly become accustomed to commencing significantly later, typically around 11 a.m. or even later, due to the tardy arrival of lawmakers.

Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele proposed a motion on Thursday to officially adjust the Senate’s sitting time from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m..

As the Senate moved to deliberate on the amendment, Lawan opposed the proposal.

Lawan disputed the proposed change, questioning the logic behind aligning the Senate’s sitting time with the House of Representatives, calling the reasoning unconvincing and lacking a solid basis.

He asserted that there were no compelling reasons to alter the start time and emphasized that lawmakers are typically more alert and focused in the morning, making a 10 a.m. start more efficient and productive.

He said: “The explanation that the change was to enable the Senate to synchronize its sitting time with that of the House of Representatives is not saleable to senators.”

Lawan further argued that delaying the start time to 11 a.m. would result in prolonged sessions that could potentially encroach on the time allocated for committee work, which typically takes place in the afternoon, around 3 p.m..

Akpabio countered by pointing out that the 11 a.m. start time was actually a legacy of Lawan’s own tenure as senate president in the 9th Senate.

Lawan vehemently denied this, exclaiming, ‘That’s not true!’.

Akpabio also provided additional context, explaining that commencing sessions at 11 a.m. doesn’t necessarily mean they will extend until 3 p.m. and instead suggesting that they could potentially adjourn as early as 1 p.m..

Sen. Bamidele attempted to mediate, pointing out that senators typically have diverse responsibilities, including oversight duties and committee work, which often require late-night sessions, making a 10 a.m. start difficult.

In an effort to diffuse the escalating tension, Akpabio promptly suggested an executive session where senators could discuss the matters privately.