A circular obtained by Channels Television and signed by Clerk Chinedu Akubueze on Monday announced an emergency Senate meeting of “National Importance.” The internal circular did not provide further details on the meeting’s agenda.
The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 31, 2024, just a day before the nationwide protest against hunger and hardship is set to begin. The memo stated:
“Dear Distinguished Senators, the President of the Senate, His Excellency, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, GCON, has directed that an emergency plenary sitting of the Senate be convened as follows: Date: WEDNESDAY, JULY 31st, 2024; TIME: 12 NOON. Distinguished Senators are requested to make all necessary arrangements to attend as issues of national importance will be discussed. We regret all inconveniences that this interruption of the recess will cause. Thanks for your usual understanding.”
The National Assembly had started a seven-week recess and was expected to reconvene on September 17, 2024. The recess was announced after last week’s plenary on Wednesday, with both chambersāthe Senate and the House of Representativesāsupposed to be on break for their yearly recess.