http://www.punchontheweb.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200710171271820Home Page THE BEST OF PUNCH TODAY Punch Search E-Punch



Etteh: House of Reps boils
By Chiawo Nwankwo and Victor Sam, Abuja
Published: Wednesday, 17 Oct 2007
A row broke out in the House of Representatives on Wenesday as members of the Integrity Group insisted that the Speaker, Mrs. Patricia Etteh, should not preside over the debate on the David Idoko panel report on the contracts scandal in the House.

Skip to next paragraph

Chiawo Nwankwo.
A rowdy scene at the House of Representatives … on Tuesday.

Anxiety began shortly after the Minority Leader, Alhaji Mohammed Ndume, accused Etteh and some members of the House of violating an understanding that none of them should grant press interviews on the controversial contracts.

Ndume, therefore, demanded to know who would preside over the debate on the report, since the Speaker had betrayed partisan interest on the matter.

He said, “We have a report to consider that has been rubbished by members. So, who is to preside? That is the question.”

Without waiting for a reply, Ndume said,“My prayer is that Madam Speaker should allow somebody to preside over the consideration of the report.”

His submission was greeted with a thunderous applause.

Etteh, however, classified Ndume’s submission as a form of motion, which needed to be subjected to parliamentary rules of somebody seconding it.

It was gathered that some members opposed to Etteh sensed that her idea of turning Ndume’s comment into a motion was a ploy to make them play into a trap.

At this point, they sprang from their seats, and chorused, ‘Step aside, step aside.’

As the confusion lasted, the Speaker attempted to leave the chamber. She was blocked by some of the aggrieved lawmakers, who held her hostage at the head table for about five minutes.

Etteh, therefore, returned to her seat.

Her effort to call members to order was drowned by a cacophony of voices.

As more members joined in the call on her to step aside, the Speaker stared blankly at them, sometimes tapping her table with her pen.

Her supporters appeared to be overwhelmed by what they saw as most of them sat glued to their seats, smiling sheepishly.

Each time the Speaker tried to restore order, the anti-Etteh lawmakers responded with ‘step aside’.

At some points, they waved the national flags and broke into English and Yoruba songs:’All, we are saying, Etteh must go’, and ‘Etteh, Etteh o ! Etteh o !! , Etteh ma lo.’

Etteh had walked in at about 10.15 am, with the chamber half full at the commencement of the session.

Shortly after, six public petitions were taken, and the report of the House Ad hoc Committee on Improving GSM Services by Mr. Leo Ogor, presented.

Immediately after an earlier stir was averted, a member, Mr. Emmanual Jimeh, raised a point of order, drawing the attention of the House to the improper dressing of another lawmaker, Mr. Dino Melaye.

Melaye, a pro-Etteh lawmaker, wore a pair of blue jeans trousers, a brown coat and a hat, reminiscent of a Texan Cowboy , which Jimeh saw as an improper way of dressing.

He, therefore, implored the Speaker to ask Melaye to stand up for the House to observe whether his dressing was conventional.

Melaye remained adamant, prompting the Chief Whip, Mr. Bethel Amadi, to say that Melaye was properly dressed.

Etteh ruled in support, to the displeasure of many lawmakers.

The lawmakers argued that the Speaker had in July ordered a member to leave the chamber based on improper dressing.

It was when members had decided to allow the matter be a by-gone that Ndume, who is also the Leader of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, alleged that Etteh and some members had broken the agreement not to grant interview on the N628m contracts scam.

Ndume had said,“We resolved that no member should speak on an issue before the House to the press.

“Most members, including your good self (Speaker), talked to the press and criticised the report that is yet to be debated. I was embarrassed.

“When we decide on something, we should stick to it and that is why we are called honourable members.

“I called an ANPP caucus meeting and I was bashed left, right and centre, and members said I had compromised. But I said I had not compromised, but stood for the truth.”

But another member, Mr. Sada Soli, a pro-Etteh lawmaker, tried to raise another point of order, based on Order 7, but he was not allowed to read it as confusion broke out around 10.36 am.

The said order has 10 sub-sections that specify the duties of the Speaker, among which is his or her general control of the House, except as provided in the rules.

At this point, members of the Integrity Group sprang from their seats, waving the national flag, some of which were distributed in the chamber.

While Mrs. Mercy Almona-Isie was busy distributing the national flag, Ms. Lynda Ikpeazu circulated Integrity Group’s address on the crisis to members.

As the disorder raged, the Sergeant-at-arms, Col. Emeka Okere (rtd.), led other members of staff of his office to form a protective wall round the mace, the symbol of legislative authority.

Also, lawmakers loyal to both camps kept surveillance over the mace.

Melaye stood in front of the mace for over 40 minutes, while Dr. Ahmed Salik, Ikpeazu, and Mr. Bassey Etuk, monitored him to avoid a possible sudden disappearance.

Majority of members were on their feet, as a rash of consultations in small groups comprising five to 10 members pervaded the chamber.

Also, Alhaji Farouk Lawan, Mrs. Abike Dabiri, Almona-Isie and Mr. K.G.B. Oguakwa granted interviews on the crisis to television crew.

Some lawmakers such as the House Leader, Mr. Tunde Akogun, Indepedence Ogunewe, West Idahosa and Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi, intermittently conferred with the Speaker.

The opposition assumed a new twist, when at about 11.30 am, its members sang the national anthem that ended with an applause.

At exactly 12.30pm, Akogun moved that the House stood adjourned, without anybody to second his motion.

That was not enough to instil sanity or bring the confusion to an end.

However, Lawan, the arrowhead of the bid to make Etteh step aside, later called the members of the group to order after conferring with some principal officers of the House.

About 12.55pm, Akogun moved a motion that led to the adjournment of the House to Wednesday (today).

Reacting to the development, an aide of Etteh, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the row was uncalled for.

She said, “What happened in the House is that the Integrity Group decided to hold the whole country to ransom.

“Majority of the members were sitting calmly and the minority were standing, while the Speaker was sitting calmly.

“The Speaker has sworn to protect the constitution and there is nothing in the House rules that says that the Speaker should step down.”

The source added that Etteh had been following due process but ‘the minority would not even allow a discussion on the issue, because they knew that they would be out-voted.’

“They even tried to provoke violence in the House but to no avail, as the Speaker remained calm and unperturbed,‘‘ she said.

The aide urged the anti- Etteh legislators to emulate her boss by following due process when the House resumes sitting.

The Deputy Speaker, Alhaji Babangida Nguroje, did not attend the plenary.

His Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Hammed Bello, told newsmen that he was at the Presidential Villa for a meeting.

The nature of the meeting was not disclosed by officials of his office, who also denied media reports that Nguroje was about to resign.

That Woman Has no shame, no dignity or Honour.
Shame. Anyway thats what you get when you fix people with absolutely no qualification to run things.
I always say this, lets face issues not sentiments you do not make someone a leader because of tribe, religion or gender, get the right person to be at the right position

Its really not about educational qualifications; in her mind OBJ still calls the shots and she thinks He will bring this to pass.