Rowdy session in Senate as Goje, Akpabio clash during plenary

A heated confrontation between Senator Danjuma Goje (APC, Gombe Central) and Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday halted Senate proceedings for about 30 minutes, throwing plenary into a rowdy session. The incident unfolded shortly after Akpabio entered the chamber and took over from Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, who had been presiding. The Senate President summoned Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) and a few other lawmakers to the dais for a brief consultation, in the middle of ongoing business. The move immediately angered Goje, a former governor of Gombe State, who rose citing Order 55(12)(a) of the Senate Standing Orders, which bars side discussions during plenary. “Mr Senate President, what you are doing is unparliamentary. You are disturbing the business of the Senate. You cannot be holding a separate meeting when the Senate is in session,” Goje said. Akpabio asked him to approach the chair, but Goje declined. “I cannot be part of what is illegal and unparliamentary,” he said, insisting the chamber had come to “a standstill” because of the side meeting. Efforts by Akpabio to calm him down, including offering him a seat in the consultation, failed as Goje maintained that those around the dais should disperse for business to resume. Akpabio later explained that the consultation was to determine whether the Senate could continue sitting given a scheduled Armed Forces Remembrance Emblem launch at the Presidential Villa by 1pm. But Goje remained firm. “I don’t want to be part of it. I’m opposed to this. It’s wrong and unparliamentary,” he said. The exchange underscored growing tensions within the chamber, briefly paralysing proceedings before normal business resumed. Akpabio has faced sustained criticism from some lawmakers, including members of the ruling APC, who accuse him of high-handedness in managing parliamentary proceedings. Several senators are reportedly aggrieved over their exclusion from the Senate President’s inner circle and allege they are often denied recognition during plenary, even when seeking to make legitimate contributions. This rising discontent has fuelled sporadic confrontations on the floor, with Akpabio clashing at different times with some colleagues. In July 2025, tension escalated after Akpabio and Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele reportedly disagreed during a closed-door session. Sources said the dispute, initially about procedural matters and communication within the leadership, quickly snowballed into a broader internal rift seen as reflecting unease within the APC caucus. Earlier in February, the chamber witnessed a tense moment when Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) protested the reassignment of her seat by the Senate President, leading to another heated confrontation. At the height of these tensions, some senators were said to have discreetly explored plans to impeach Akpabio. Influential senior lawmakers, however, reportedly intervened, urging colleagues to allow tempers to cool. On November 11, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (APC, Abia North) confirmed that there had indeed been an attempt to impeach Akpabio. He said the move was thwarted through the intervention of lawmakers committed to preserving the stability of the 10th Senate. The Senate leadership has since dismissed the claims.

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