Senator Ali Ndume representing Borno South Senatorial District
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Barely ten minutes into Tuesday’s Senate plenary, had it gone into closed door session over Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s error in handling of legislative rules.
Senator representing Borno South Senatorial District and Chief Whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume spotted an error and raised a point of order drawing the attention of the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, saying that rules and procedures of the upper Chamber must be followed to avoid confusion.
Senator Ndume made reference to Senator Sumaila Kawu’s motion, titled: “The Need for Re-opening of Nigeria-Niger Border.”
The motion was read for the first time without introduction of the title in line with the parliamentary rules, but which the Senate President snubbed Senator Ndume’s point of order.
Standing on Order 51 of Senate Rules, Ndume insisted that Senate President should allow for correction of any error made or observed in plenary before proceeding to the next item on the Order Paper.
He said: “This is the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which is 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.
Akpabio quickly ruled Ndume out of order and explained that “issues ruled cannot be revisited”.
Senator Sunday Karimi representing Kogi West Senatorial District raised a follow-up point of Order and asked the Senate President to sustain Ndume’s observation, but was ruled out of order.
At this point, Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau rose through Order 16 of Senate Rules and asked that a substantive motion be moved by any Senator for correction or review of earlier decision taken.
Having sustained Barau’s point of order, Ndume again raised another point of order through order 54 and insisted that the error be corrected.
But without being allowed to make full presentation of his argument, the President of the Senate ruled him out of order again.
Ndume at this time, became angered and walked out of the Chamber before the session went into closed door.
