A dramatic scene played out in the Senate chamber on Thursday when Senator Ireti Kingibe, representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), walked out in anger after being prevented from presenting a motion on demolitions in the nation’s capital.
The incident occurred during a plenary session, which had been proceeding smoothly until the senator was denied the opportunity to present her motion by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
This led to a heated exchange, resulting in the senator storming out of the chamber.
However, the situation was brought under control when other senators, including Asuquo Ekpenyong, Oyelola Ashiru, and others intervened and pleaded with the senate president to allow the senator to return and present her motion.
After some minutes, Kingibe returned to the chamber and was directed by the senate president to apologise for her actions. Initially, she refused to apologise but later relented after the senate president’s insistence.
Kingibe later said the Federal Capital Territory Administration on the instruction of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike embarked on massive demolition of structures in the FCT and that the exercise was based on illegal structures and non-development of allocated plots of land by the FCTA.
She asserted that the current demolition was not in line with due process of court orders and that some persons have suffered untold hardship and loss of properties worth billions of naira.
Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan representing Kogi Central Senatorial District immediately supported Kingibe’s prayer that the FCTA be ordered to stop the demolitions.
The motion was granted, and an eight-man committee was set up to discuss the demolitions with the FCT administration.
