Akpabio spotted at villa after Senate’s rowdy session over Keyamo; Apologises to Senate, takes a bow as ministerial screening ends
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, on Monday, rushed to the Presidential Villa minutes after a rowdy session at the Senate over the screening of a ministerial nominee, Festus Keyamo.
Akpabio was spotted at the Villa at 02:55pm with Senate Majority Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele. The two lawmakers, who left the Villa at 03:48pm, did not address the press.
Though the agenda of the Senate President at the Villa was not yet known as of press time, it might not be unconnected to an altercation on the floor of the Senate on Monday afternoon.
Minutes earlier, the Senate exploded into a rowdy session when a Senator representing Abia Central Senatorial District, Darlington Nwokocha, moved a motion for the suspension of Keyamo’s ministerial screening.
A visibly agitated Nwokocha accused Keyamo of disrespecting the 9th National Assembly and accusing the last Assembly of being corrupt.
Nwokocha said during the administration of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Keyamo was invited to explain a Special Public Works programme but he didn’t honour the invitation.
Nwokocha’s motion was immediately seconded by his colleague from Abia-South Senatorial District, Enyinnaya Abaribe.
The Senate President subsequently subjected the motion to a voice vote but the lawmakers were divided on the matter.
The red chamber immediately erupted into a rowdy session. Amid heated argument between the lawmakers, Bamidele moved for a closed-door session to determine the fate of the former Minister of State for Labour. Senate President Godswill Akpabio sustained the move.
Festus Keyamo, a ministerial nominee, apologised to the Senate on Monday evening over his failure to honour invitations by the relevant legislative committee overseeing the Ministry of Labour and Productivity where he had served as a minister under the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Tendering an apology “without reservation”, the former Minister of State for Labour and Productivity provided more insight into the circumstances.
“Maybe it was as a result of the lack of knowledge of the fact that this matter had long been resolved between us and the members of that committee,” he told the Senate with a more sombre disposition than hours earlier.
“Subsequently, there were so many hearings – budget defence and all that – we attended under a very convivial atmosphere. So, the apology is without reservation. I apologise.”
Responding to the issues that had resulted in his summon, the lawyer stated that every single payment to the beneficiaries under the public works programme was paid directly from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to the beneficiaries.
He further explained that the register with the names, account numbers and Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs) of the beneficiaries was at the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) and could be verified.
Senator Godiya Akwashiki (Nasarawa North) who chaired the committee on Labour in the NInth Senate appealed to the Senate to allow Keyamo to bow and go, having apologised.
Senator Ali Ndume (Borno South) moved a motion that the Senate accept the Keyamo’s apology, which the Senate accepted and the ministerial nominee exited the stage.
Keyamo’s screening marked the final interview of all 48 cabinet members nominated by President Bola Tinubu.
Initially, Keyamo did not make the President’s first and second ministerial lists. However, in a dramatic twist of events, Tinubu removed Maryam Shetty, a ministerial nominee from Kano last Friday and replaced her with Keyamo and Mahmood.
Keyamo was a spokesperson for the Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council during the February 25, 2023 electioneering process that produced the new administration.
