Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara says the 8th House which he superintends, has been a let down thus far and should bow its head in shame after the chamber degenerated into a theater of fighting and punches on Thursday.
He said, “To be candid, we have promised so much in the course of our electioneering and even the very party I belong to, the APC, we have promised change and Nigerians expect us to really talk about those matters, those issues that bother them most.
“They want to hear us talk about unemployment, poverty; in my region, they want us to address insecurity and as long as this House is divided and not united, we cannot achieve that.”
Dogara however added that the House will sort the mess it’s created.
“As to the issues that led to the fracas today, we will sit down as leaders and resolve whatever caused the fight. We have to ensure that this matter, as quickly as possible, is resolved and that is what we will do by the grace of God,” he stated.
But certain members of the APC caucus in the green chamber blamed the Speaker for the fracas that ensued.
“He should have done the right thing and read the letter from the party. Everyone here was elected on a party’s platform and the party is still supreme. My colleagues are agitated because they want the right thing done”, said Hon Femi Gbajabiamila who sat quietly in a corner watching the brawl.
The majority of the APC members also described as “illegal” the refusal of Dogara to announce the names of the principal officers as directed by the party.
Dogara had called for an executive session instead of reeling out the names sent by the party.
Trouble began when Hon Ado-Doguwa climbed onto a desk right in front of Dogara and attempted to incite members, but he was chased down by Dogara supporters. The Speaker’s backers hurled hard copies of law books they picked from the desk at Ado-Doguwa.
Also, some members suddenly produced and carried placards with an inscription, “Nigerians voted party; party is supreme.”
Mr. Nasir Zango-Daura, who spoke for the APC Caucus, argued that the positions in question were party positions and not House positions, hence Dogara could not dictate who occupied them.
“That is the responsibility that lies with the party and its caucuses. If I may ask, can he appoint principal officers for the PDP? His action will truncate our democracy”, Zango-Daura said.
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