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The House of
Representatives on Wednesday, September 21, was thrown into a rowdy session
over the budget padding allegation.
According to a report on The Cable, the
drama started after the speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara recognized Emmanuel
Oker-Jev, chairman rules and business, to move a motion just as another member
Aliyu Madaki was putting up his hand to be recognised.
It was gathered that Oker-Jev moved his motion in the midst of loud noise as the lawmakers
expressed disgust over the budget padding allegations raised by Abdulmumin Jibrin, former chairman of the committee on appropriations. The lawmakers were said to have been shouting “Dogara, Dogara” even as Jibrin was observed to be walking around the chamber under the close watch of the sergeant-at-arms.
However, Oker-Jev’s motion was passed and referred to the ethics and privileges committee, which would look into the matter. Dogara eventually recognized Madaki to speak, but he was barely heard, as scores of lawmakers were screaming all at the same time. But shortly after normalcy was returned in the House, Madaki wondered why the motion moved by Oker-Jev was not seconded by any legislator, which was against the house rules. He reminded Dogara that there was a call for his resignation based on the allegations levelled against him by Jibrin. But Dogara in his response said: “We all know who seconded the motion. The allegations were against the house; if I must resign, I will wait for you to tender in your resignation first.”
The speaker’s remark triggered another rowdy session as legislators quickly rushed at Madaki to give him papers to write his resignation letter, while others again started hailing the speaker at the top of their voices as mufflers and caps, which had the print of “I stand with Dogara”, were distributed to the speaker’s loyalists. The Punch however reports that the drama in the House was due to an attempt to suspend embattled lawmaker Abdulmumin Jibrin.
More stories still coming...
It was gathered that Oker-Jev moved his motion in the midst of loud noise as the lawmakers
expressed disgust over the budget padding allegations raised by Abdulmumin Jibrin, former chairman of the committee on appropriations. The lawmakers were said to have been shouting “Dogara, Dogara” even as Jibrin was observed to be walking around the chamber under the close watch of the sergeant-at-arms.
However, Oker-Jev’s motion was passed and referred to the ethics and privileges committee, which would look into the matter. Dogara eventually recognized Madaki to speak, but he was barely heard, as scores of lawmakers were screaming all at the same time. But shortly after normalcy was returned in the House, Madaki wondered why the motion moved by Oker-Jev was not seconded by any legislator, which was against the house rules. He reminded Dogara that there was a call for his resignation based on the allegations levelled against him by Jibrin. But Dogara in his response said: “We all know who seconded the motion. The allegations were against the house; if I must resign, I will wait for you to tender in your resignation first.”
The speaker’s remark triggered another rowdy session as legislators quickly rushed at Madaki to give him papers to write his resignation letter, while others again started hailing the speaker at the top of their voices as mufflers and caps, which had the print of “I stand with Dogara”, were distributed to the speaker’s loyalists. The Punch however reports that the drama in the House was due to an attempt to suspend embattled lawmaker Abdulmumin Jibrin.
More stories still coming...
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