By Fawaz Adebisi
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is currently engaged in a significant discussion with Senate President Godswill Akpabio at the esteemed Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja.
This meeting follows a recent closed-door session of the Senate, which was convened to address concerns raised regarding the ministerial nomination of Festus Keyamo from Delta State.
The deliberations commenced after Senator Darlington Nwokocha, representing Abia Central Senatorial District, put forth a motion to suspend the screening process for Mr. Keyamo.
The motion, seconded by Enyinnaya Abaribe of Abia-South Senatorial District, led to a divided voice vote, prompting Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele to propose a closed-door session to reconcile the issue.
The core grievance, as articulated by Senator Nwokocha, revolved around accusations of Keyamo’s alleged disregard for the 9th National Assembly and his criticism of the previous Assembly’s integrity.
Festus Keyamo, a distinguished Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), had previously served as Minister of State for Labour and Productivity during the tenure of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari.
During the ongoing ministerial screening session in the Senate, a scene of disorder transpired. Festus Keyamo, the former Minister of State for Labour, was subjected to rigorous questioning when the session unexpectedly descended into chaos.
A Senator raised a procedural concern, citing Keyamo’s prior avoidance of an invitation from the House of Representatives during his previous ministerial role.
The Senate chamber was engulfed in discord for over ten minutes until Senate President Godswill Akpabio intervened, asserting his authority to restore order.
Acknowledging Senate protocol, Akpabio’s presence compelled Senators and Committees to maintain silence.
In an effort to manage the situation, Akpabio turned to Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, who proposed two motions.
The first motion extended the Senate sitting time beyond 2 pm, and the second authorized the Senate to transition into an executive or closed-door session.
These motions were successfully passed, leading to the postponement of Keyamo’s screening process.
Senate President Akpabio therefore declared that the Senate had opted for a closed-door session to address a matter of national significance.
