Speakership Tussle: Tension as Gbajabiamila, Wase in open confrontation over procedure

• Mr. Speaker, the House is not about I, but us – Wase

• This challenge from DS is first in history – Gbajabiamila

By Christiana Ekpa

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and his Deputy openly confronted each other during Wednesday plenary over the announcement by the Speaker that the Order Paper for Thursday be made lighter to allow members attend the official Commissioning of the permanent site of the National Institute for Legislative abd Democratic Studies.
Before adjourning the House, the Speaker had announced that the NILDS permanent site along Airport Road will be commissioned by 3.00pm on Thursday by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He asked the Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business to ensure that the order paper was not clouded with the day’s business so that the House can adjourn early enough for the event.
But Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Idris Wase said the primary business of the House was lawmaking and other official business, adding that tye commissioning of NILDS headquarters was not enough to adjourn the House.
Wase said members willing to attend the commission could do so while the business of the House is not disrupted.
But the Speaker said “DS, may be the importance of NILDS is not clear to you like it is to some of us. We are not adjourning the House for members to attend the commissioning. I said the order paper should be made lighter because I will attend the commissioning.
But Wase fired back saying “Mr. Speaker, the House is not about I, but us”.
Gbajabiamila first ignored his Deputy, made another announcement before returning to address him stressing that
“Mr Deputy Speaker, this is one time in history I been in this House for many years, perhaps even longer than anybody here, this is the first time in history that the deputy Speaker will be challenging what the Speaker is saying, let raise for one minute”
Turning to the Chairman of the Committee on Rules and Business, Gbajabiamila said “make the order paper light for tomorrow. This House will adjourn at 2.00pm” while members present at plenary chorused Carried
The endorsement of Hon. Tajudeen Abbas for the position of Speaker of the House has created a sharp division between the Speaker and his Deputy.
Wase was said to have avoided attending the usual leadership meeting held before plenary everyday, while also shunning the Speaker’s procession to the Chamber.
He had openly accused the Speaker of backing Tajudeen for the Speakership position.