SENATE STORM: “I AM A SENIOR SENATOR — YOU ONLY PRESIDE!” NDUME REPRIMANDS AKPABIO IN DRAMATIC CHAMBER CLASH

A moment of high drama erupted in the Red Chamber on Wednesday as Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (Borno North) openly confronted Senate President Godswill Akpabio, accusing him of stifling legislative debate and undermining parliamentary decorum.

The tension, which momentarily jolted the plenary session, spilled into the public domain after sitting, when Ndume granted an interview—circulated by Channels Television—condemning what he described as an “unusual, embarrassing, and disrespectful” interruption from the Senate President.

Ndume, one of the most senior and experienced lawmakers in the National Assembly, insisted that Akpabio’s role is to preside over proceedings, not to police or curtail contributions from senators who represent millions of Nigerian citizens.

According to the Borno lawmaker, the confrontation began while he was making a substantive submission during deliberations. Mid-way into his remarks, Akpabio reportedly interjected—an act Ndume said breached the core principles of parliamentary engagement and threatened the integrity of democratic discourse.

> “I have been in the Senate long enough to know how this chamber operates,” Ndume said. “The Senate President is to guide, not to gag senators. When I speak, I should be allowed to speak freely. If clarification is needed, it should come after I finish—not by cutting me off.”

Visibly displeased, Ndume said he found the interruption particularly shocking given his seniority, institutional knowledge, and long-standing service to the National Assembly.

> “I am a senior senator,” he stressed. “Some of us have been here long before now. Respect for experience is important for the dignity of this institution.”

He further expressed concern over certain phrases allegedly used by Akpabio during the exchange—especially warnings such as “don’t go there”—which he argued could create an atmosphere where lawmakers feel intimidated or discouraged from speaking candidly on sensitive national issues.

> “If a matter is considered sensitive, say it from the onset,” Ndume said. “But once the floor is given, no senator should be hindered from expressing what they believe is important for the nation.”

Ndume’s remarks highlight simmering tensions within the 10th Senate, where questions have repeatedly surfaced about procedural fairness, leadership style, and the need for a more inclusive, respectful, and balanced legislative environment.

As debates on critical national issues intensify, observers say the latest confrontation may signal deeper concerns about how the upper chamber navigates differing views while maintaining the sanctity of democratic debate.