Senate adjourns sitting over fire outbreak
The Senate was on Thursday forced to suspend its sitting following a fire outbreak in a section of the National Assembly building.
As provided by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Senate is expected to sit on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which are legislative days.
The lawmakers’ were gearing up for the day’s plenary when fire reportedly broke out at the maintenance unit of the senate building at about 11 a.m.
Initially, the lawmakers had tried to put up with the situation, but later hurriedly wrapped up activities after it became serious.
Moving the motion for the adjournment of the plenary following adoption of votes and proceedings, the lawmaker representing Sokoto under the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Ibrahim Gobir, cited the inconveniences created by the occurrence, saying there was need to adjourn the plenary.
According to him, “The condition is not very conducive because our chambers are there; yesterday we engaged the contractors working in the senate. We believe it is now Saturday they will be able to finish it.”
The motion was subsequently supported by other lawmakers and approved by Senate President, Bukola Saraki.
Supporting Gobir’s observation, Saraki said: “What you presented to us makes sense. Definitely the chamber is not conducive for today’s s activities and as such, I would direct that we adjourn till Tuesday so that between now and the weekend the members of the services and maintenance unit can ensure that we bring the chamber into a conducive environment.”
