Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume, explains why he staged walkout during the Senate's plenary

Ali Ndume, the Senate Chief Whip, has shed light on the reasons behind his exit from the Senate chamber during a plenary session that took place on Tuesday. His departure came following a disagreement with Senate President Godswill Akpabio during the session.

Ndume’s intention was to draw the Senate’s attention to what he perceived as violations of the Standing Orders of the Senate.

During the session, Senator Ndume pointed out procedural irregularities, arguing that they were in breach of established parliamentary procedures.

In response, Senate President Akpabio ruled that Ndume’s cited order did not apply to the matter being discussed, and he was subsequently declared out of order. In apparent frustration, Ndume then left the chamber.

Ndume later clarified his decision to leave during an interview with BBC Hausa in Abuja, explaining that the situation arose when Senator Kawu Sumaila introduced a motion concerning the urgent closure of the Nigeria-Niger border.

He recounted, “Initially, there was a debate on the urgency of the motion, but the Senate President allowed him to express his thoughts. To address this matter, it was crucial to involve the President of our nation, but I was not given the opportunity to convey this message.”

Senator Ndume emphasized that he left the session to engage in prayer, a detail that was misconstrued by his colleagues and the media. He explained, “While all of this was unfolding, it coincided with the time of prayer, which led to my departure. As a result, my exit was misunderstood by my colleagues, and the media misinterpreted the reason for my departure.”