Tension flared in the Senate on Thursday as Adams Oshiomhole and Ali Ndume exchanged sharp words during the screening of Reno Omokri, one of President Bola Tinubu’s ambassadorial nominees.
The session, usually procedural, briefly transformed into a political tug-of-war as both lawmakers challenged each other over the parliamentary process and Omokri’s past controversies.
The disagreement erupted when Ndume objected to Oshiomhole’s attempt to comment on the nominee before a pending motion had been formally seconded.
Ndume, visibly irritated, warned that the chamber must avoid setting aside its rules, stressing that legislative order cannot be compromised.
He reminded the committee of the procedure, remarking that motions lacking a seconder “die on arrival”.
According to him, the Senate must uphold its own standards to maintain credibility. “We cannot bend the rules because of momentary excitement. This chamber is not a joke,” Ndume said, insisting that Oshiomhole was out of turn.
Oshiomhole, however, pushed back, arguing that the Senate had a duty to address public concerns tied to Omokri’s nomination. He said moments like these demanded openness rather than silence.
“There are conversations Nigerians are already having, and it is only fair we address them honestly,” the former Edo governor said, defending his attempt to speak.
He went further to praise President Tinubu’s leadership instincts, suggesting that the president’s ability to look beyond past political attacks was proof of maturity and national focus.
Oshiomhole said Tinubu had repeatedly shown he was more interested in competence than old grudges.
He pointed to Omokri’s previous criticisms of Tinubu, noting that the nominee had since revised his views based on the administration’s direction.
“Anyone who evaluates new evidence and adjusts his stance is demonstrating integrity,” Oshiomhole said. “That is what nationalism should look like.”
Ndume, unimpressed, interrupted once again, suggesting that some former governors who end up in the Senate cling too tightly to their old sense of authority. His intervention briefly escalated tensions, prompting murmurs across the room.
Oshiomhole stood his ground, insisting that leaders must commend Tinubu’s willingness to work with even his harshest critics.
He described the president’s approach as a “rare quality” that should guide Nigeria’s political culture going forward.
Committee chairman Sani Bello eventually stepped in to restore calm, redirecting focus to the actual screening.
After asking both lawmakers if they had any formal objections to Omokri’s nomination, and receiving none, Bello proceeded with the standard practice, instructing Omokri to take a bow and leave.
The Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs had earlier begun vetting non-ambassadorial nominees forwarded by the president, but the Oshiomhole–Ndume altercation became the defining moment of the session.
The friction underscores how Nigeria’s political undercurrents continue to surface even in routine legislative duties, creating ripple effects that shape national governance conversations.