The turmoil in the Nigerian Senate reached a boiling point on Tuesday when Chief Whip Senator Ali Ndume staged a furious walkout.
To prevent the situation from further deteriorating, Senate President Godswill Akpabio abruptly called for an emergency closed session.
Senator Ndume invoked order 54 of the Senate Rule Book during a point of order, where he pointed out what he considered to be a breach of rules in the conduct of affairs within the chambers.
He said, “Mr. President, some things we do in this chamber are against the rules. Sir, nobody is too big to learn.”
However, Senator Akpabio swiftly ruled Senator Ndume's remarks out of order before he could conclude his statement. In evident frustration, Senator Ndume exited the chamber and proceeded directly to his office.
Shortly afterwards, Senator Ndume received a call from a colleague, summoning him back to the chamber for an executive session. As of this report, the executive session was ongoing, indicating a tense and fluid situation within the Senate.