A rowdy session marred the resumption of the Senate plenary yesterday as senators fought over the seats at the newly renovated chamber.

The plenary had started around 11 am and immediately after the procession, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, read out announcements, specifically the names of the lawmakers who had celebrated their birthdays while the Senate was on break.

While the announcement was ongoing,  Senator Sahabi Yau (APC, Zamfara North) raised his voice at the Senate leader, Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) while he in return pointed his finger at Yau as if giving him a stern warning.

Immediately, Danjuma Goje (APC, Gombe Central) joined Yau in shouting at Bamidele and the chairman, of Senate Services, Sunday Karimi (APC, Kogi West) who was in charge of the seating arrangements.

The Tide learnt that the fight was triggered by the seating arrangement in the newly renovated hallow chamber.

Some ranking Senators were said to have been angry at the seats allocated to them in the front row on the last right side of the aisle.

The Senate President eventually told them to approach the chair one after the other but Yau didn’t oblige him.

The rowdy session lasted for about 20 minutes as senators bickered.

After the Senate President read his welcome-back speech, the Senate leader, moved that the Senate resolved into a closed-door session.

The Senate later, at about 12: 05 pm,  dissolved into an executive session.

The Senate had on March 20, adjourned plenary till April 16, but postponed resumption twice to allow for the completion of the chamber which had been under renovation since 2022.

The Federal Government yesterday flagged off commercial train operations on the Port Harcourt-Aba rail line for use by members of the public.

The Tide reports that the commencement of the train service has previously been postponed twice.

The jinx was, however, broken yesterday when the Minister of Transportation, Senator Said Alkali, performed the commencement of commercial services on the 62.0 kilometres of the Port-Harcourt to Aba corridor at the Railway Station in Port Harcourt.

Alkali said the ceremony was part of the intensified drive by the Federal Government to facilitate trade, enhance mobility and accessibility, and ensure connectivity between the southern parts of the country and the northeastern part of the country.

He said the rehabilitation project was awarded by the Federal Ministry of Transportation to Messrs China Civil Engineering and Construction Company with a completion timeline of 36 months.

Senator Alkali stated, “Due to several technical and contractual issues, the project commenced in March 2022.

“It is worthy to note that the scope of the project covers the rehabilitation of the existing narrow gauge railway line, the construction of new modern stations, and the procurement of new modern rolling stock.

“This railway line will also link the ports of Onne, Bonny, and Port-Harcourt to facilitate the evacuation of goods and other freight through the Eastern Corridor.

“The Federal Government, in the contractual agreement, is to provide 15 per cent of the direct construction cost, inclusive of land acquisition and value-added tax, while a bank loan through direct construction cost is to cover 85 per cent of the project.”

He further said that the commencement of operations along this section of the project aims to boost economic activities between the South-South and South-East regions of the country pending completion of the other sections of the project.

According to him, “With the completion of the rehabilitation of the Port-Harcourt to Aba rail corridor, the Ministry will continue to vigorously drive Messrs CCECC towards the speedy completion and delivery of the 181-kilometre Aba-Enugu stretch.

“Commencement of operations on this stretch of the project aligns with priority five of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Presidential Priority Areas, which identify enhanced infrastructure and transportation as enablers of growth for the economy.”

The highlight of the occasion witnessed the Minister and his entourage, along with some members of the public, boarding the train for a ride to Aba, Abia State.

The House of Representatives yesterday called on the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to suspend forthwith the implementation of the new electricity tariff nationwide.

Recall that NERC recently mandated electricity distribution companies to charge Band A consumers increased tariffs in a move aimed at ensuring a stable power supply for those who can pay for it.

However, many Nigerians accused NERC of migrating most consumers to B and A even as they complained of epileptic power supply.

Coming under the motion of urgent public importance at the resumption of plenary, yesterday, a member representing Ivo/Ohaozara/Onicha Federal Constituency in Ebonyi State, Kama Nkemkanma, reminded his colleagues of the need to address key issues surrounding “the sudden hike in electricity prices in Nigeria.”

He noted that the motion “highlights concerns over due process, fairness, and the impact on consumers. The motion aims to restore public trust, protect consumer rights, and ensure regulatory accountability in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.”

He said, “What’s more concerning are the reports indicating discrepancies in customer categorisation and widespread complaints regarding inadequate service despite increased charges. This situation has not just sparked national anxiety, but it also threatens regulatory certainty and investor confidence in the sector, demanding immediate attention.

“This motion argues for legislative intervention, underlining our constitutional and moral obligations to address the crisis and alleviate the burden on Nigerian citizens. It places a strong emphasis on the legislative oversight role over NERC and the electricity utilities.”

According to the Labour Party chieftain, “Key issues highlighted include the failure of due process in approving the tariff increase, concerns over discriminatory practices, and the disputed nature of government subsidies to electricity distribution companies.

“The motion proposes resolutions to suspend the recent tariff increases, establish a special committee for hearings involving relevant stakeholders, appoint a technical consultant to assess the legality and reasonableness of NERC’s procedures and draft a bill to improve regulatory processes in tariff setting.

“Overall, this motion underscores the importance of legislative action to address the challenges facing the electricity sector and ensure fair treatment of consumers while promoting transparency and accountability in regulatory decision-making.”

Following the adoption of the motion, the House ordered NERC to suspend the operation of the new tariff.

It also resolved to set up a special committee made up of the Committees on Power, Commerce, Delegated Legislation and National Planning to organise a well-structured hearing on the price regulation of NESI with the participation of the Minister of Power, Chairman and Commissioners of NERC, the CEO of all electricity utilities in Nigeria, President of the National Industrial Court, Trade Union Congress and leaders of chambers of Nigerian.

The House also resolved to appoint a well-regarded former regulator as technical consultant to the House “to develop templates for determination of the legality and reasonableness of the procedure adopted by NERC in approving the tariff increase and establishing the performance benchmarks for the Discos.”

It further authorised the consultant to work with the special committee to draft a bill “to provide for administrative procedures that entrench proper consultation and legislative review of the process for tariff setting in the electricity and other public services in Nigeria.”