‘We are working in one accord’ — Akpabio speaks on disagreement with Ndume

Senate President Godswill Akpabio says members of the upper legislative chamber will often disagree over issues but will not engage in physical combat.

Akpabio spoke after a disagreement between him and Ali Ndume, chief whip of the senate, on Tuesday.

Ndume who was dissatisfied with the manner the senate president had been presiding over the affairs of the red chamber, raised a point of order citing a section in the rule book of the upper assembly.

However, Akpabio ruled the chief whip out of order and Ndume walked out of the senate chamber in protest.

Speaking with reporters after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the presidential villa on Wednesday, the senate president said as politicians there is no hatred between them.

“In the parliament, sometimes you disagree. We are all working in one accord. There is no problem at all,” he said.

“Even if some people disagree on some of the happenings in the senate, still, it is only the majority decision that is going to prevail and the parliament is like that.

“We will never get to the point of throwing chairs. We will never get to that point. The Senate is too mature, full of mature people, so, if we have a disagreement, we immediately go into a closed session, resolve it and come out smiling.

“We are politicians, no permanent hatred but permanent interest.”

Akpabio said supporting Tinubu’s government to deliver on its promises is the only paramount interest.