‘Prayers to your mailbox’, ‘boring insecurity debate’ — controversial moments at n’assembly in 2023

The year 2023 witnessed some captivating moments at the senate and house of representatives.

Since June when the 10th national assembly was inaugurated in June,  lawmakers, particularly, the newcomers, have been making efforts to understand the intricate web of parliamentary rules and practices.

However, while conducting their business in the last half of the year, the red and green chambers have made headlines that spurred discussions in the country.

TheCable highlights some of the major moments at the national assembly in 2023.

AKPABIO’S ‘PRAYER TO SENATORS’ MAILBOXES’

On August 7, Senate President Godswill Akpabio suffered a gaffe when he announced that funds had been disbursed to senators to relish their recess.

The upper legislative chamber had concluded the screening and confirmation of ministerial nominees at the time after which the senators adjourned the plenary to embark on their annual recess.

While addressing his colleagues, Akpabio said funds had been sent by Magaji Tambuwal, clerk of the national assembly, to the senators to “enjoy” their holidays.

The senate president was quickly informed by his colleagues that he was speaking before live television and press cameras.

Upon realising the gravity of his comments, Akpabio swiftly beat a retreat.

“I withdraw that statement,” he said.

“In order to allow you to enjoy your holiday, the senate president has sent prayers to your mailboxes to assist you to go on a safe journey and return.”

The senate president’s blunder has continued to elicit reactions from Nigerians.

 MOMENTS BALARABE ABBAS COLLAPSED DURING SCREENING 

On October 4, Balarabe Abbas, a nominee from Kaduna, slumped on the floor of the senate while being screened for ministerial position by senators.

He was speaking to his credentials and had barely started taking questions from the legislators when the incident occurred.

Amid the commotion caused by the incident, the senate president called for water to be brought in.

“Get him water… get him water and sugar,” Akpabio said.

He ruled that the upper legislative chamber goes into a closed session.

The incident ended Abbas’ screening. He was later confirmed by the senate.

Tinubu forwarded Balarabe’s name to the senate to replace Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna, whose confirmation was withheld by the senate over a security report.

Abbas served in the administration of el-Rufai as secretary to the state government (SSG).

SENATORS QUIZZED BOSUN TIJANI OVER 2019 TWEET 

On August 5, senators grilled Bosun Tijani during his screening for a ministerial appointment over a social media post he made in 2019.

He was also chastised by the legislators over a 2021 post in which he referred to senators as morons.

At the screening, Abdulfatai Buhari, senator representing Oyo north, asked Tijani to speak on the post.

Tijani had written in the controversial 2019 post that “Nigeria is a bloody expensive tag”.

Lawmakers took turns to interrogate Tijani.

Apologising to the legislators, Tijani said his social media posts were made “out of anger and patriotism” for the country — and not hatred.

He was confirmed and appointed by Tinubu as minister of communications, innovation and digital economy.

ALI NDUME STORMED OUT OF SENATE PLENARY  

On October 7, Ali Ndume, chief whip of the senate, stormed out of the red chamber after he was ruled out of order by  Akpabio.

Ndume had cited order 54 of the standing rules to draw attention to the manner Akpabio was presiding over the affairs of the senate.

The Borno senator said proceedings under Akpabio were most times not in line with the standing rules of the senate.

“There are some things we do in this chamber that are against our rules,” Ndume said.

“Nobody is too big to learn…”

He had barely aired his thoughts when the Akpabio ruled him out of order, citing the same section of the rule book.

Ndume left the chamber in a “disgruntled manner” afterwards. Thereafter, the senate went into a closed session.

In August, the Borno senator expressed dismay over a statement by Akpabio that money had been sent to the senators’ account.

“In fact, we are even planning to take drastic action against him if he continues making unguarded statements and acting as if we are kids,” Ndume said.

LP SENATOR YELLED AT AKPABIO OVER MINORITY LEADERSHIP TUSSLE

On November 21, there was uproar in the red chamber after Akpabio announced new minority leadership positions.

Akpabio had named Abba Moro, senator representing Benue south, as minority leader; and Osita Ngwu, lawmaker representing Enugu west, as minority whip.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members replaced Simon Mwadkwon, senator representing Plateau north; and Darlington Nwokocha, senator representing Abia central; respectively. They were both sacked by the courts.

While Mwadkwon, the former minority leader, is a PDP member; Nwokocha of the Labour Party (LP) was the minority whip.

Soon after Akpabio finished making the announcements, an altercation ensued on the floor of parliament.

Tony Nwoye, an LP member and senator representing Anambra north, said it was unfair for the senate president to choose leaders for the minority caucus.

“Are we your slaves? Why would the senate president be picking leaders for us?,” Nwoye yelled at Akpabio.

“You have done your worst. You have pushed us to the wall. Meaning what? It is unfair. It is not about me, it is about the institution of the senate.”

After some senators pacified Nwoye, Akpabio explained that the two minority leaders had shown the signatories of senators who agreed with the decision.

“Minority, put your house in order first,” Akpabio said.

SENATE IN ROWDY SESSION OVER MOTION TO STEP DOWN FESTUS KEYAMO’S SCREENING

On August 7, there was a rowdy session at the senate over a motion seeking to step down the screening of Festus Keyamo as a ministerial nominee.

Darlington Nwokocha, who moved the motion, reminded his colleagues that Keyamo ignored the summon by the parliament in 2020 over the employment scheme of 774,000 Nigerians recruited for the special public works programme.

Keyamo was minister of state for labour and employment in the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

He had accused the lawmakers of attempts to blackmail him. 

Enyinnaya Abaribe, senator representing Abia south, supported Nwokocha’s motion to step down Keyamo’s screening.

But the senate president put the motion to a voice vote, the “nays” were just as loud as the “ayes” as a rancorous session ensued.

The senate later dissolved into a closed session to resolve the issue.

At the resumed screening, Keyamo apologised to the lawmakers and was confirmed by the upper legislative chamber.

ENDLESS DEBATES ON INSECURITY

Since the inauguration of the 10th assembly, both chambers have continued to hold debates on security challenges in the country.

Each week, several motions were sponsored or raised on insecurity. Most of the time the deliberations trailed reports of attacks on different communities across the country.

Lamenting the spate of insecurity on the floor of the green chamber weeks ago, Julius Ihonvbere, majority leader of the house of representatives, said bad roads and insecurity have prevented him from visiting his constituency in Edo state.

In October, Solomon Bob, a member of the house, told his colleagues on the floor of the green chamber that they were discussing the “boring” motions on insecurity due to the lack of results afterwards.

Bob said over the past five years that he has been a member of the national assembly, the lawmakers have “dealt with issues” of insecurity but with no positive results.

FEMI GBAJABIAMILA, IDRIS WASE TRADE WORDS AT PLENARY 

In May, Femi Gbajabiamila, former speaker of the house of representatives, and Idris Wase, his deputy at the time, engaged in a verbal confrontation during the plenary session.

The dramatic scene unfolded when Gbajabiamila before the adjournment of plenary for the day, asked Hassan Fulata, former chairperson of the house committee on rules and business, to make the order paper for Thursday not to contain too many items so that the plenary would not go beyond 2 p.m.

Gbajabiamila had read a notice to his colleagues about the inauguration of the permanent site of the National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) in Abuja.

Wase subsequently raised a point of order and objected to Gbajabiamila’s request. He insisted the inauguration of the NILDS building should not stop plenary from going beyond 2 p.m.

He argued that lawmakers who wanted to attend the commissioning should be allowed to do so, noting that it was unnecessary to adjourn the house for that reason.

Visibly offended by Wase’s confrontation, Gbajabiamila said it was the first time in the history of the house of representatives that a deputy speaker would be “challenging” the speaker.

Wase retorted: “I don’t understand what you mean by challenging, sir. That I should not make my contribution?

…AND AKPABIO AND TAJUDEEN ABBAS’ GAFFES

Akpabio and Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house of representatives, often commit blunders while presiding in their respective chambers.

Although the two national assembly leaders have continued to familiarise themselves with the rules of the parliament, they sometimes make procedural errors that run contrary to the standing orders of the chambers.

For instance, Abbas occasionally struggles with the rules guiding debates on motions, points of order, and personal explanations by lawmakers.

The speaker once found himself entangled with the rules involved in presiding over the committee on supply.

In October, Ndume, chief whip of the senate, said he is more experienced than Akpabio on issues of parliament, adding that the senate president ought to listen when corrected.