Drama unfolded in the Senate on Thursday when FCT Senator Ireti Kingibe angrily left the chamber after being prevented from presenting a motion urging FCT Minister Nyesom Wike to suspend Abuja demolitions.
Although Senate President Godswill Akpabio had advised her to present the motion during Thursday’s plenary, it was excluded from the order paper, reportedly due to non-receipt by the Senate Committee on Rules and Business.
Senator Titus Zam, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Business, said his office didn’t receive a draft of the motion from the FCT senator.
An argument ensued, during which Senator Kingibe packed her belongings and exited the chamber.
Efforts by other senators to mediate led to her return, but only after Akpabio insisted she apologize for her earlier walkout.
Kingibe initially resisted but ultimately complied, allowing the session to proceed.
The motion was later granted, and the Senate subsequently constituted an eight-man ad hoc committee to discuss the demolition with the FCT administration.
The Senate also resolved that the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) should suspend the ongoing demolition of structures except those ordered by the court until the committee finalises its meeting with the FCTA.
Senator Ireti Kingibe, after an exchange with the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, was said to have walked out of the red chamber in protest after she was disallowed from reading her motion, which, according to the Senate president, was not listed in the order paper.
That is… pic.twitter.com/HGX9gyTzHH— Megamier (@djokaymegamixer) December 12, 2024