'We Will Never Get To The Point Of Throwing Chairs' - Akpabio To Tinubu

Senate President Godswill Akpabio

Akpabio insists there is no crisis in the Senate after meeting with Tinubu

Godswill Akpabio, president of the Senate, has refuted rumors that a crisis is developing in the upper house of the legislature and insisted that disagreement in the Parliament is a typical occurrence in any democratic setting.

The clarification followed a rumored yelling march on Tuesday that appeared to resolve a problem between two gladiators, Akpabio and Ali Ndume, Chief Whip of the Senate, on the Senate floor.

However, responding to inquiries about the situation after meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Senator Akpabio asserted that the Parliament only contains mature individuals who are dedicated to collaborating with the Executive to advance the nation.

He said, "Sometimes you disagree to agree. We are all working in one accord. There is no problem at all. Even if some people disagree on some of the happenings in the senate, still, it is only the majority decision that is going to prevail and the parliament is like that.

"But we will never get to the point of throwing chairs. We will never get to that point. The senate is too mature, full of mature people, so, if we have a disagreement, we immediately go into a closed session, resolve it and come out smiling.

"We are politicians, no permanent hatred but permanent interest. That interest is the interest of the nation. To support the President, support his administration in legislation, oversight functions to succeed, in order to move the country forward and that is what we have been doing and that is what we are committed to doing."

He stated that he was at the State House "to inform the President of the first 10th Assembly retreat which is taking place tomorrow (today) in Akwa Ibom State and to solicit his support towards ensuring representation at the retreat and that he had graciously done that.

"I told him some of the things we are going to discuss - task reform and ways of ensuring the generation of revenue for him to work for Nigerians.

"He needs to be informed that the Senate will not be available in Abuja. We are moving the Senate all the way to Akwa Ibom for the next four days.

"Thereafter, I will be travelling personally to Angola to attend the internal parliamentary union. So, before he sees me, it will probably take another nine days. So, I needed to inform him," he added.