Senate session turns rowdy over new naira notes

THE Senate was in disarray on Wednesday, during debates on the naira redesign policy of the Central bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Debate on the policy by Senators follows a motion sponsored by Uba Sani who chairs the Senate Committee on banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions. Sani urged the Senate to provide legislative support for the policy.

He also wanted the red chamber to mandate his Committee to embark on aggressive oversight on the policy slated to take full effect on January 31, 2023.

Trouble started when Ali Ndume, Abiodun olujimi, betty Apiafi, barau

Jibrin, Chukwuka Utazi, and orji Kalu, supported the CBN policy but suggested the extension of the deadline for compliance.

Kalu specifically wanted the Senate to invite the Governor of the CBN, Godwin emefiele, to throw more light on the policy and why he should be persuaded to extend the deadline to April 30, 2023.

but Gabriel Suswan disagreed with Kalu and others claiming that CBN Governor has always shunned the Senate invitations.

He therefore urged his colleagues to ignore the CBN policy and let the country damn the consequences.

but bassey Akpan, in his contributions, stressed the need to support the CBN

Governor. He said there should be no discussion on the matter.

Suswan and Akpan’s submissions did not go down well with those seeking the extension of the deadline and the chamber turned rowdy.

It took persistent appeals by the presiding officer, omo-agege, to calm the situation after about 15 minutes of heated arguments among the lawmakers.

Deputy President of the Senate, ovie omo-agege, said it was the prerogative of the CBN to redesign the naira and put a deadline for compliance.

The Senate, after the rowdy session, offered to provide legislative support for the policy.