Claims of a scuffle over seating arrangements during Tuesday’s plenary session in the Nigerian Senate have been refuted by the Senate.
During a press conference held after the session, Senator Yemi Adaramola, the Senate Spokesman, dismissed rumors of chaos or altercations, asserting that all senators are well aware of the seating protocol in the red chamber. He emphasized that any reports suggesting otherwise are simply false and aimed at deceiving the public.
Following the Easter and Sallah recess, lawmakers from both the upper and lower legislative chambers reconvened for plenary sessions.
Due to ongoing renovations at the National Assembly Complex since 2021, members of both chambers have been conducting proceedings in temporary chambers.
Upon reconvening on Tuesday, some Senators expressed dissatisfaction with the seating arrangements in place.
The live transmission of Tuesday’s session faced challenges as electronic equipment installation was not yet complete.
In his defense, Senator Adaramola countered, “The baseless tale of a fictitious dispute over seating arrangements is a malicious attempt to tarnish the Senate’s reputation with unwarranted controversy.”
He urged the public to disregard the pessimistic narrative propagated by “these unscrupulous purveyors of misinformation.”
“There were no disputes, conflicts, or verbal altercations concerning the seating arrangements within the Senate chamber. The Senate resumed its activities in the newly refurbished chamber today, and seating allocations were made following established legislative procedures,” he added.