Tension Rocks Senate as Akpabio and Bamidele Clash in Heated Exchange During Executive Session

The Nigerian Senate was thrown into disarray on Wednesday evening following a dramatic altercation between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele during a closed-door session.

The confrontation, which nearly escalated into a physical altercation, revealed deepening divisions within the Senate’s top leadership.

Sources told revealed that the tension arose during an executive session held to decide whether to adjourn the current legislative sitting this week or the next, in preparation for the Senate’s annual two-month recess. Disagreements over the timing of the adjournment reportedly exposed cracks within the upper chamber’s hierarchy.

Senator Ali Ndume sparked the confrontation by criticizing the Senate leadership for failing to convene a prior meeting to harmonize their position. He urged greater coordination and transparency in managing Senate affairs.

Following Ndume’s remarks, Senate Leader Bamidele voiced his frustration over the leadership style of Senate President Akpabio. “I am frustrated as Senate Leader working under Senate President Akpabio,” Bamidele reportedly said. “He does not call leadership meetings, he doesn’t consult with anyone. He is autocratic. In fact, I am contemplating resigning as Senate Leader.”

Akpabio, visibly enraged, sharply responded: “Senator Opeyemi should sit down! He cannot speak while I am speaking. I am in charge here. I have served as Commissioner, two-term Governor, Senate Minority Leader, and a powerful Minister. I know the Senate rules and leadership more than you.”

The verbal exchange nearly turned physical, but other senators quickly intervened to de-escalate the situation and restore order.

As of the time of filing this report, no official statement had been issued regarding the incident. Attempts to contact the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, were unsuccessful as his phone remained unreachable.

This incident comes amid lingering tensions within the chamber. Notably, a similar report of a clash between Akpabio and Bamidele surfaced in November 2024, which was later dismissed as false. At the time, the Senate Leader’s office denied any altercation had occurred, describing the report as an attempt to tarnish the image of the Senate.

The latest episode, however, appears to confirm ongoing friction within the upper legislative body, raising fresh questions about internal cohesion and leadership dynamics at the highest level of Nigeria’s Senate.