TAMING OR QUITTING THIS BULL IN A CHINA SHOP; THE CASE OF A ROGUISH ASSEMBLY MAJORITY LEADER

My presence at Kogi State House of Assembly on 30th October, 2018 was accidental because a friend and colleague insisted we witness plenary after concluding registration  for National Identity at the State office along the road to the Assembly.

What I witnessed was a travesty of what proceedings in a legislative House ought to be; thanks to the despicable, distasteful and disturbing conduct of a supposed Honourable member I later gathered is the Majority Leader.

A chronology of what transpired as I witnessed from the gallery will give an insight to what actually happened and the negative image it has created in my mind and that of majority of those present.

Plenary commenced shortly before 1pm and about an hour into deliberations, big bangs echoed in the Hallowed Chambers repeatedly as a result of heavy knocks on a door to the Chamber to the consternation of all present.

After a while, Hon. Abdulahi Bello waltzed in majestically and made straight for the Speaker's table in a disruptive manner not minding that a Honourable member was contributing to a motion of urgent public importance.

From where I sat in the gallery, I could discern that Hon. Abdullahi Bello was insisting that certain things be done his way or plenary will not continue. Despite the fact that a few Honourable members joined him at the Speaker's desk, he was not prepared to listen to reason. In a deft move to douse tension and spare the Assembly from the disgrace of the induced stalemate, a Honourable member moved a motion for the House to commence an Executive session of the whole with a request that the gallery be cleared.

The pertinent questions to ask are;

Why did the Majority Leader come late to plenary?

Why did he disrupt proceedings that eventually led to the hurried adjournment of sitting?

Why did he refuse to avail himself of a reasonable means to express any reservation about or on any issue?

Why did his security details enter the Assembly fully armed?

What I saw on the 30th day of October, 2018 is a disgrace and aberration in a House of Assembly purportedly composed in the main of lawmakers.

I was amazed when someone remarked that, what we just witnessed is a pointer to the caliber of people who were elected to make laws for good governance for the  State.

He said if the same Majority Leader at the center of the ignominy we just saw could get away with organizing a vicious attack on another Honourable member with thugs within the Hallowed Chamber, his latest juvenile exhibition is just a child's play.

Another individual narrated how, the same Hon. Abdulahi Bello physically assaulted his Local Government Administrator, vandalized and impounded the Official vehicles of the victim of his psychotic aggression.

Many people overhead the Majority Leader claim he was protecting the Governor's interest. This in my opinion is to seek unmerited sympathy and justify his dishonorable conduct.

Are we seeing criminal display of the new autonomy recently granted the Assembly?

Is there any reasonable argument that can prevent the House of Assembly from invoking its rules to appropriately punish the misconduct of Hon. Abdulahi Bello?

Does Hon. Abdulahi Bello have the wherewithal and moral justification to remain House Leader?

Will other Honourable members of Kogi State of Assembly permit this effrontery without reprimanding one of their principal officers? Only time will tell!

I don't want to believe His Excellency, Alh. Yahaya Bello will condone or support any act capable of throwing the State House of Assembly into another needless crisis. Hon. Abdulahi Bello should stop dropping Adoza's name to explain his inappropriate conduct within and outside the Assembly.

Hon. Abdulahi Bello's attempt to reenact the exploits of Marvel's Incredible Hulk will never fly. He cannot be more than 24 other Honourable members.

As far as I am concerned, it's about time to tame, restrain or quit the bull of the China shop else we might ignorantly be creating a Frankenstein that will later be uncontrollable.

Elections are upon us and we have entered the season of canvassing more voters. Kogi State cannot afford to be in the news for wrong and negative reasons.

Hon. Abdulahi Bello is advised to understand no single individual has monopoly of violence. Though many violent conducts for a while in Kogi State have been attributed to him and his congregation of miscreants, he should realize he has no immunity and therefore not above the law.