Senate Convenes Emergency Executive Session Following Akpabio and Lawan Dispute Over Sitting Time

The Senate convened an emergency executive session on Thursday following a heated disagreement over the official sitting time, according to The Nigerian Tribune.

The dispute involved Senate President Godswill Akpabio and his predecessor, Senator Ahmed Lawan, regarding the timing of the plenary sessions. The Senate’s rules stipulate a 10 am start time, but sessions often begin much later, around 11 am or later, as lawmakers arrive late.

Traditionally, the Senate adjourns with plans to reconvene at 11 am the next day, despite the official start time being 10 am. On Thursday, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele proposed formally amending the rules to shift the official sitting time from 10 am to 11 am.

As the Senate moved to deliberate on the amendment, Lawan opposed the proposal. He challenged Akpabio, arguing that changing the sitting time to synchronise with the House of Representatives was not a compelling or “scientific” reason. Lawan emphasized that lawmakers were more energetic in the morning, making a 10 am start more productive.

“The explanation that the change was to enable the Senate to synchronise its sitting time with that of the House of Representatives is not convincing to senators,” Lawan stated. He added that pushing the sitting time to 11 am would extend sessions until 3 pm, a time when committees should be actively working.

Akpabio responded, reminding Lawan that the 11 am practice was inherited from Lawan’s 9th Senate. Lawan refuted this, stating, “No, that is not correct!” Akpabio also clarified that starting at 11 am did not necessarily mean sessions would last until 3 pm, suggesting they could end by 1 pm instead.

Senator Bamidele intervened, explaining that senators often had multiple engagements, including oversight duties and committee assignments, which sometimes kept them working late into the night, making a 10 am resumption challenging.

In an effort to calm the rising tension, Akpabio swiftly called for an executive session to address the issues privately.