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Gbajabiamila, Wase clash during plenary as animosity festers (VIDEO)
In the middle of Wednesday’s plenary session, Femi Gbajabiamila, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Ahmed Wase, the Deputy Speaker, got into a fight.
Tajudeen Abbas and Benjamin Kalu were purportedly recommended by Gbajabiamila for Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the upcoming 10th House, earning them support from the in power All Progressives Congress.
Also Read: Bayelsa Gov alleges Buhari administration did not commission any project in state
Wase is a member of the G-7, a group of candidates who are upset with the APC’s leadership zoning mechanism and who are considering running against the party’s nominee. Wase is targeting the position of Speaker.
Disagreement between Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila and Deputy Speaker Hon. Wase Today in the house, about constant adjournment of plenary in House of Assembly. pic.twitter.com/1puDzGX7Et
— Imran Muhammad (@Imranmuhdz) May 24, 2023
Towards the end of the session, Gbajabiamila asked the Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business, Abubakar Fulata, to prepare a light order paper for Thursday as the sitting should close by 2 pm to allow members to attend an event at the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies.
Miffed by the announcement, Wase said, “Mr Speaker, I’m getting to see this getting so funny and we have lost quite a number of periods of time. For the commissioning of projects for God’s sake! Why do we have to shelve a lot of activities that we have just to go and witness the commissioning of a project of NILDS?
“I want to beg, sir, that we should do our functions. Those who have the interest to go, they have the right to. But our main primary function in this parliament is to make law and our citizens should be our priority.”
As Gbajabiamila was responding, saying, “Perhaps, DS, you don’t appreciate the importance of NILDS like some of us do. I think NILDS is very important,” the Deputy Speaker interjected, “I have every information and idea of what NILDS is!”
The Speaker stated, “It was set up by this same institution by statute. We are not adjourning the House to go to NILDS; what I said was, ‘Let’s try and make it light and leave here by two.’ If you want, we can resume by 10(am). We will do our work but we will adjourn this House at 2 pm. I will witness the NILDS (event) because it is important to me.”
Rising against, Wase replied to the Speaker, “The parliament is about us, not about ‘I.’”
Shocked by the Deputy Speaker’s outburst, Gbajaabiamila said, “Mr Deputy Speaker, this is the first time in history…I have been in this House for many years, perhaps even longer than anybody here…this is the first time in history that a Deputy Speaker will be challenging what the Speaker is saying.”
Wase fired back, “I don’t understand what you mean by challenging, sir. That I should not make my contribution?”
Ignoring the Deputy Speaker’s last comment, Gbajabiamila said, “Let me repeat please: Chairman Business and Rules, please make the order paper very light. We are adjourning this House by 2 pm tomorrow.”
