Free-for-all over PIB, e-transmission drama — controversial moments at n’assembly in 2021

The year 2021 recorded some interesting moments at the national assembly. The senate and the house of representatives made several interventions through motions, petitions and bills to address some of the country’s challenges. While some Nigerians commend the lawmakers, others are of the opinion that the ninth assembly has failed to live up to expectations.

In conducting its business in 2021, the lawmakers engaged government officials and private organisations, spurring controversies, intrigues and drama in the process.

TheCable highlights some interesting moments at the legislature that got Nigerians talking.

DEPUTY SPEAKER REJECTS PETITION FROM NIGERIANS IN DIASPORA

In March, Idris Wase, deputy speaker of the house of representatives, made headlines for a controversial reason.

Wase, who presided over plenary on March 11, rejected a petition from the Mutual Union of the Tiv in America, saying Nigerians in the diaspora do not “really know” the situation in the country.

The petition, which was presented by Mark Gbillah, a lawmaker from Benue, had accused the federal government of not resettling the Tiv people displaced from their ancestral land by various attacks.

Wase’s comments sparked widespread criticisms with many accusing him of turning a blind eye to the plight of the displaced persons.

ENDLESS DEBATES ON INSECURITY

There was hardly a plenary sitting at the senate and house of representatives without debates and motions on insecurity.

Each week, several motions or “points of order” were sponsored or raised on insecurity. Most of the time the deliberations followed reports of attacks on different communities across the country.

The national assembly appeared to have changed its strategy in seeking solutions to the insecurity in the country. In 2019 and 2020 respectively, the legislature summoned President Muhammadu Buhari over the issue — but Buhari did not honour the invitation on both occasions.

In July, the green chamber submitted 19 recommendations to Buhari on steps to take to address the country’s security challenges.

Notwithstanding, there has been little improvement on security since then. Last week, Wase accused some officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) of conniving with bandits to fuel insecurity in parts of the country.

Wase spoke on the floor of the house during a plenary session when he sponsored a motion of urgent public importance on the need to halt “wanton killings and kidnappings” in his constituency in Plateau.

MEDIA STAKEHOLDERS REJECT ‘UNCONSTITUTIONAL’ PRESS COUNCIL BILL

The green chamber became a ”foe” of the media over a proposed amendment to the Nigerian Press Council (NPC) act in July.

At a public hearing, media stakeholders on the platform of the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO) rejected the amendment over “unconstitutional clauses’.

The NPO, an umbrella body of the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), said almost half of the 39 clauses in the bill contained regulations capable of stifling journalism practice.

The move drew a barrage of criticisms and dominated headlines for weeks.

REQUEST TO REVERSE TWITTER BAN DIVIDES REPS

PDP members in the green chamber staged a walkout on June 8 following the rejection of a request to ask the federal government to overturn the ban on Twitter.

The house had mandated its relevant committees to investigate the suspension of Twitter and report back within 10 days, but Kingsley Chinda from Rivers raised a point of order, demanding that the house should ask the federal government to lift the suspension pending the investigation — only to be ruled out of order.

Undeterred, Chinda insisted on his demand which led to a rowdy session. He subsequently led opposition members out of the session.

LAWMAKER ACCUSES COLLEAGUE OF PLAGIARISING HIS BILL

The audience at a house of representatives public hearing on May 8 could not stop laughing when a lawmaker accused his colleague of “copy and paste”.

There was drama during the sitting when Uzoma Abonta from Abia, confronted his colleague, Buba Yakub from Adamawa, for plagiarising his bill.

Yakub sponsored the bill seeking to establish the ‘Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Examiners’ while Abonta had sponsored the ‘Chartered Institute of Forensic and Investigative Professional of Nigeria’ bill yet to be passed.

Speaking, Abonta said: “What is now surprising is that this bill now being considered… I authored the other forensic bill. This bill is word for word with the bill I authored. That is plagiarism”.

CHAOS AT SENATE OVER BILL TO ESTABLISH ARMED FORCES COMMISSION

There was a heated debate in the senate on March 17 over a bill seeking to establish a commission for the armed forces.

Enyinnaya Abaribe, senate minority leader and sponsor of the bill, said the commission is needed to deepen federal character in the appointment of service chiefs, but some senators kicked against the bill, saying the military will be politicised if the law is passed.

Livid, Abaribe rose to challenge the rejection of the bill.

SENATORS CLASH OVER MOVE TO INVOLVE NCC IN E-TRANSMISSION OF ELECTION RESULTS

The senate session on July 17 turned rowdy over the electoral act amendment bill.

A heated argument broke out when Sabi Abdullahi, senate deputy whip, proposed that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) must certify that national coverage is adequate and secure while the national assembly must approve before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) can transmit election results.

The lawmakers subsequently moved into a closed session amid the back and forth over the matter.

REPS SESSION TURNED ROWDY OVER 3% AS HOST COMMUNITY FUND IN PIB

The house of representatives was thrown into a rowdy session on July 15 following a protest by Chinyere Igwe, a lawmaker from Rivers state.

The house had barely commenced sitting for the day when Igwe walked around the floor chanting “the PIB report is a fraud”.

Igwe protested the adoption of 3 percent as host community trust fund in the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) by the conference committee of both chambers.

DEPUTY SPEAKER RULES AGAINST E-TRANSMISSION OF ELECTION RESULTS 

Again, Wase was in the spotlight in July over the electoral act amendment bill.

While the clause-by-clause analysis of the bill was being considered, Toby Okechukwu moved a motion that clause 52 (3) of the bill be amended.

Okechukwu proposed that “transmission of election results shall be done electronically”.

When the motion was put to a voice vote, the “ayes” were louder than the “nays” but Wase ruled in favour of the “nays”.

A showdown subsequently ensued, while some lawmakers charged towards the cubicle where Wase was seated.

The bill was passed after the opposition lawmakers staged a walkout.

More controversy and walkouts at the national assembly can be found here and here.