BY Samuel Akpan
There was mild drama on Wednesday during the plenary session of the house of representatives as the presiding officer skipped a lawmaker’s motion over noisemaking.
The motion titled: ‘Call to Investigate the Invasion of the Federal High Court, Uyo, Akwa Ibom by Personnel of the Nigeria Police Force’ was sponsored by Sergius Ogun, a lawmaker from Edo state.
The motion was listed on the order paper but Idris Wase, deputy speaker of the house, skipped the motion and moved to the next.
The order paper is an agenda document that contains information and the programme of the legislative business for the day.
Taken aback by the action, Ogun called Wase’s attention to the fact that his motion should have been taken.
Responding, the deputy speaker said he deliberately skipped the motion because the lawmaker was making a noise.
“I jumped the number 10 (motion) deliberately because the person who has number 10 is the one making the loudest noise in the chamber,” he said.
Ogun, however, said he was discussing the motion with his colleague.
The matter continued with some back and forth after which the Edo lawmaker apologised.
However, Ado Doguwa, the majority leader of the house, said Ogun’s apology was unacceptable and that the lawmaker should be sanctioned.
“Mere sorry can’t suffice. We have to call him to order. We have to invoke disciplinary measures. This is an institution, not a jungle. He must be called to order for speaking anyhow to the speaker,” Doguwa said.
However, Wase said the apology is accepted and there was no need for sanctions.
The motion was subsequently considered but was rejected when it was put to a voice vote by the deputy speaker.
Meanwhile, the drama occurred in the presence of some Ghanaian legislators who were admitted into the chamber to observe the proceedings of the house.
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