Drama ensued in the Senate session on Monday during the ministerial screening as Senator representing Abia Central Senatorial District, Darlington Nwokocha, moved a motion for the suspension of the ministerial screening of Festus Keyamo, a minister nominee from Delta State.
The trouble started when Keyamo who was the former Minister of State for Labour was taking his questions and Senator Nwokocha raised a point of order over his nomination, recounting how he disregarded an invitation from the House of Representatives when he was the Minister.
Coming after the point of order, the Senate chamber became rowdy for more than 10 minutes while the nominee stood.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, had to stand up to restore normality to the chamber.
He quickly called the Senators to order, saying that based on the rule of the Senate, whenever the Senate President stands up, any Senator or Committee would have to remain silent.
When the matter was worsening, Akpabio beckoned on the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele to “lead the House.”
Senator Bamidele however moved two motions, first for the Senate to extend the time for the Senate sitting beyond 2 pm and the second session to dissolve into an executive or closed-door session.
The motions were scaled through while the screening of Keyamo was postponed.
Akpabio said the Senate now resolved to go into a closed-door session “to iron out an issue of national concerns.”
The Senate later dissolved into a closed session.
