SENATORS MOCK APC…Adjourn Sitting Over Party’s NEC Meeting

 

Senators held a brief comical session on Tuesday moments before the plenary was adjourned.

The lawmakers agreed to adjourn plenary to allow senators of the All Progressives Congress (APC) attend their National Executive Council meeting.

The comedy started when the Majority Leader, Ahmed Lawan, moved the motion for adjournment moments after a point of order was entertained.

Mr. Lawan said, “Mr. President, very distinguished colleagues, today, the All Progressives Congress, the ruling party.”

He was however cut short as members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) drowned his voice with the remark ‘All Progressive Crises.”

“It’s All Progressives’ Crises, not Congress,” they taunted him.

It took the presiding officer, Ike Ekweremadu, a member of the PDP, some minutes to calm the chamber from the rounds of laughter that followed the interruption.

After gaining attention again, Mr. Lawan continued, “Mr. President, very distinguished colleagues, the ruling party, the APC is holding its NEC and it has already started. As a very time-conscious party, Mr. President, our colleague senators on this side are representatives of the chamber, the APC caucus and because of this, I want to plead with all our colleagues here across party lines to show the understanding just as we have shown understanding when the minority party PDP have to go for congresses or whatever.

“Based on this, Mr. President, very distinguished colleagues, I move that we stand down all the items on the order legislative day, to enable our colleagues to attend the NEC of the ruling party, I so move.”

Again, his motion was followed by whimsy remarks from the PDP senators.

“Too many crises” “we agree”, they continued to taunt their APC colleagues.

Deputy Minority Leader, Emmanuel Bwacha (Taraba-PDP) who seconded the motion humorously wished his APC colleagues ‘safe landing.’

“Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, before I second, the motion, I want to join my colleagues from the other side sincerely and wish them safe landing,” he said.

Another round of laughter which went on for minutes interrupted his speech.

After a partial decorum, he continued, “That the number of policemen we have are short because of crises. I don’t how many we’ll dispatch there to supervise. So, Mr. President, having advised as such, I pray that there will be a safe landing.”

In similar fashion, Mr. Ekweremadu before putting the question also threw a banter.

“Very distinguished colleagues, I want to thank the minority leader and the minority members for their understanding, you know when your neighbour’s house is on fire, you must allow him to go and quench it.”

The senators adjourned the plenary after a voice vote.

President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to chair the NEC meeting slated for today ahead of the party´s National Convention.

At the meeting, members are expected to discuss national issues, the crises within the party and take a decision on when its National Convention would hold.