It was a rowdy session today at the Nigerian Senate over arguments as to which Chamber of the National Assembly is superior.

The brouhaha erupted during plenary when Deputy Senate Leader Bala Ibn N’Allah came under point of order to draw the attention of the Senate to statements allegedly made by Acting President Yemi Osinbanjo on the 2017 Budget to the effect that the National Assembly has no power to tamper with budget proposals from the executive.

Na’Allah noted that the Acting President, himself a renowned legal practitioner, might have been quoted out of context. He added that the Senate and the House of Representatives have equal legislative powers

This did not go down well with other lawmakers. Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, who also came under point of order, corrected the impression made by the Deputy Leader, saying that the Senate is superior to the House of Representatives going by constitutional provisions.

Further intervention by the Leader of the House, Ahmed Lawal, to affirm the initial position that both chambers are equal further threw the Senate into a rowdy session until the Senate President Bukola Saraki intervened and laid the matter to rest without ruling on it.

The Senate, thereafter, adjourned plenary for two weeks, to resume after the Sallah break.‎‎

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