Speaker of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila and his Deputy, Idris Wase, on Wednesday, clashed openly during plenary.
According to reports, Gbajabiamila had announced after plenary that the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) permanent site along Airport Road will be commissioned by 3.00pm on Thursday by President Muhammadu Buhari.
However, the clash occured when Gbajabiamila announced that the Order Paper for Thursday should be made lighter to give room for members attend the official commissioning of the permanent site of the NILDS).
Reacting to the announcement, Wase stated that the commissioning of NILDS headquarters was not important enough to adjourn the House.
The Deputy Speaker added that the primary business of the House was lawmaking and other official businesses, adding that members willing to attend the commissioning could do so while the business of the House should not be disrupted.
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Responding to Wase, Gbajabiamila stated “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.”
Wase reportedly retorted “Mr. Speaker, the House is not about I, but us.”
“DS, I have been in this House long enough to know that this is the first time in the history of this House that a Deputy Speaker will openly oppose what the Speaker says,” Gbajabiamila responded.
The speaker then directed the Chairman of the Committee on Rules and Business to make the order paper light for Thursday.
“This House will adjourn at 2.00pm tomorrow,” he added
The drama between the Speaker and his deputy reportedly originated when the former endorsed Hon. Tajudeen Abbas as Speaker of the 10th House.
