By David Kabiyesi
The floor of the Senate almost turned to a battle on Wednesday but for Akpabio’s patience and calmness after the Senate President was accused of not doing enough to ensure even distribution of N500 billion credit facilities to Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs) across the country by the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN), iwitnesslive.com can report
iwitnesslive.com impeccable source revealed that Wednesday’s session became rowdy after Akpabio rejected the motion to debate the allegation raised by Chief Whip of the Senate, Mohammed Ali Ndume (APC, Borno).
Ndume had drawn attention of the Senate on the uneven distribution of loans, pointing out that outcome of that motion was not concluded before the dissolution of the ninth Senate
He demanded permission from Akpabio to move on with the motion for a fresh debate, but Akpabio’s response to Ndume’s request was interrupted by Senator Solomon Adeola (APC, Ogun) who vehemently fumed at Ndume’s conclusion that last Senate failed to conclude on the matter.
Adeola argued that from his discussion with the chairman of the ad-hoc committee set up to investigate the matter, a report was done on the motion and was sent to the Presidency for implementation.
Irked by Adeola’s interruption , Senator Aliu Ahmed Wadada (SDP, Nasarawa), rose angrily shouting Point of Order! Point of Order!!
Wadada seconded Ndume’s motion over the imbalance experienced in the distribution of the money, adding that the entire North were grossly cheated.
At the point of ruling on the matter, Ndume again rose and insisted that it was morally wrong that the whole North was given only 11 per cent, while only Lagos State got 47 per cent of the loan. He added that his state, Borno, got just one per cent.
“The former Senate President insisted that I should be a member of the committee because I was the mover of the motion. However, I was not always around whenever they called the meeting. I don’t want to believe that it was deliberate. I swear by God, I have not seen a copy of the report. I am a Senator, I raised the motion because my people were shortchanged.
“This is a serious matter. N500 billion was distributed. Other geopolitical zones got 11 per cent while my region got only one per cent.
“When you say that you have submitted the report and you ambush people to sign the report only when those that are interested were not around. I didn’t sign any report, I insisted, I am not a young man. You should have given me the report.” he said
Stunned by the accusation, Akpabio interrupted Ndume, said the motion had to be stepped down for more consultation.
“I can imagine the passion you have shown on this matter. We’re a corrective 10th Senate. We’re ready to correct anything that you feel was not properly done. The Senate President has already ruled on the matter that it should be stepped down.
“It doesn’t mean that the matter is permanently closed. I will refer you to order 63. If you want to reopen a closed matter, you have to come up with a substantive motion.” Akpabio said
