A dramatic incident unfolded in the Senate on Thursday when Senator Ireti Kingibe, representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), stormed out in anger after being stopped from presenting a motion regarding demolitions in the nation’s capital.
The plenary session was progressing without incident until Kingibe was prevented by Senate President Godswill Akpabio from raising her motion.
This decision sparked a heated exchange, culminating in Kingibe leaving the chamber in frustration.
The situation quickly escalated, but several senators, including Asuquo Ekpenyong and Oyelola Ashiru, intervened, urging Akpabio to reconsider and allow Kingibe to present her motion.
After some time, the tension was diffused, and Kingibe was persuaded to return to the chamber.
Once she re-entered, Akpabio instructed her to apologize for her earlier exit.
Initially, Kingibe resisted, but eventually, after further insistence from the Senate President, she agreed to apologize.
Kingibe explained that the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), under the direction of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, had initiated large-scale demolitions in the capital.
These demolitions targeted structures deemed illegal or built on undeveloped plots of land.
She criticized the actions, claiming they lacked proper court orders and had caused significant hardship, with properties worth billions of naira being destroyed.
In response to Kingibe’s concerns, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator for Kogi Central, voiced her support for the motion. She echoed Kingibe’s call for an immediate halt to the demolitions.
The Senate, after deliberation, approved the motion and established an eight-member committee to engage with the FCTA on the issue.
The committee was tasked with addressing the concerns raised about the demolitions and ensuring that due process was followed.
