The first day of the Senate's plenary in the rebuilt red chamber was disrupted on Tuesday, April 30, when senators verbally attacked themselves over the seating arrangement.
Following about two years of refurbishment work, both chambers of the National Assembly were formally reopened for legislative duties today.
Throughout the restoration, legislators used improvised chambers in both wings of the National Assembly.
According to leadership, as Senators gathered in the renovated chamber this morning, Senate President Godswill Akpabio began by reading the names of Senators who had birthdays over their holiday.
Senator Sahabi Alhaji Ya'u (APC, Zamfara North) jumped up angrily from his seat to file a complaint with Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central).
Senator Ya'u's complaints to Bamidele escalated into a rowdy session that lasted about 30 minutes.
He was seen pointing his finger at the Senate Leader, complaining bitterly that the new seat assigned to him at the far right corner of the chamber was not befitting of him as a ranking Senator.
Senator Ya'u was seen pointing his finger at the Senate Leader, complaining bitterly that the new seat assigned to him in the far right corner of the chamber was unsuitable for him as a ranking Senator who previously served as the Senate's Deputy Minority Whip during the 9th National Assembly.
Senator Danjuma Goje (APC, Gombe Central) joined the battle, exacerbating the Senate Leader and Senator Ya'u's verbal conflict.
Goje also complained to Bamidele that ranking Senators were not properly positioned in the new seating arrangement.
However, in a troubleshooting gesture, the Senate President requested that the Senate Leader and the unhappy Senators surrounding him visit him, which they did, paving the door for Akpabio to read his welcoming address once normalcy was restored.
Following Akpabio's welcome statement, the Senate Leader summoned an emergency closed-door session to supposedly dissipate Senators' stored wrath about the sitting arrangement.