There was a drama at the House of Representatives on Wednesday as members bickered over the adjournment of plenary for the ongoing induction ceremony for members-elect of the National Assembly.
The two-week induction ceremony, which commenced last week, was to expose newly elected and reelected members of the coming 10th National Assembly to legislative procedures. The first batch had their sessions last week, while the second batch is being trained this week.
The last time the House held a session was May 4.
As the House resumed plenary on Wednesday, a returning member, Ibrahim Isiaka, raised a point of order, citing Order 6 Rules 1 and 2 of the House bothering on the privileges of members.
Isiaka said, “My point of order is that today, as we speak, an induction programme is ongoing at the International Conference Centre, which I am privileged, together with other members, to be part of the Batch B.
“Last week, because of this same programme, the House… The plenary was not in session. But today, because of the plenary, I have to be here while this programme is ongoing, and I cannot be properly accommodated at the induction ground. That is why I am coming under the matter of privilege, Order 6(1), (2) and (3).
“My prayer is that the House adjourns to allow us that are participating this week to end the programme, while the House reconvenes after the programme. I am sure I am not the only victim of this circumstance. There are other members that I have seen on their faces; that have even equally complained about their privileges being breached by this House.”
However, the Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase, criticised suspension of sittings for the induction ceremony.
Wase said, “I respect the view of my distinguished colleague, Hon Isiaka, but I think, Mr Speaker, this institution has a lot of memories. There has never been a time, because of induction, the House suspends plenary. And I don’t know the rate of those who are now back to the House, compared to the people who are now not returning, that we have to adjourn the House because of induction.
“I think there are many issues in the country that we need to face and tackle. We are running out. Mr Speaker, we have today and tomorrow for the week; we have lost yesterday. I want to beg my brother to reconsider his stand. It is a privilege and I believe it should not…and there is nowhere in our rules that says if we are doing induction…the days of sitting in the House are very clearly stated in our House Standing Orders. I want to beg about that, sir.”
A member of the House, Tajudeen Yusuf, said he agreed with the arguments made by the deputy speaker, “but I think that the fact that we took that route the first time has laid precedence.”
He stated that if the House had not adjourned for the first batch, the argument for the second would not have arisen.
“So, I want to appeal that if the training is ending on Friday, I want to appeal that we do sincerely adjourn and allow those who are privileged to be part of that training to benefit. It is not all of us that are returning. Those who are not returning won’t be in need of it. But I believe there is a lot that will be done there that they need to be part of,” he said.
Commenting, the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, noted that Isiaka “raised a fundamental question.” He stated, “Induction is even beyond privilege, it is a right and the Constitution abhors discrimination. If you have allowed for the first batch, you must allow for the second batch.”
Gbajabiamila added, “However, we have a very short period of time left. I want to implore members that, perhaps, we are already, let us not adjourn abruptly. Let us at least sit for today, since we are already here. I will defer the question till later. I will see whether we want to come back tomorrow. And there is nothing the sitting members don’t know already. So, I will put the question (for voice vote) when it (the agenda) gets to adjournment for today.”
The Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Ademorin Kuye, however, said the lawmakers would miss so much by not attending the induction ceremony.
“This particular training is entirely different. I was there on Monday, I was there on Tuesday. Mr Speaker, because of today’s sitting and because of the respect that we all have for the House, I just signed just about the time the DG Budget (Office of the Federation) was going to take us. Myself…I have a witness, Hon Adeyemi; we had to rush out to be able to attend to this.
“Mr Speaker, if this privilege had been given to the people in Group A, it should be given to us. It is not right for us to be seated here while new materials are being given out every day at that training. And this programme was put in place for us by this same House. So, the House cannot be approbating and reprobating. Therefore, we want to beg that the House be adjourned.”
Consequently, Gbajabiamila put the motion that the House “adjourn until the second batch finish their induction” to voice vote and it was unanimously adopted. He ruled that the House adjourned “till after the induction,” without specifying the date and time as it is usually done.
Speaking to journalists after the session, a member of the House, Badru Enitan, explained how the clash between the induction ceremony and plenary affected him.
He said, “Like you heard the Speaker say, the induction is a right and at the end of the day, either rightly or wrongly, there has been a precedent of which happened last week. So, the rights of those who are in Batch B are being breached by not allowing them to attend the induction.
“For example I had a submission to make on the floor of the House today. It was listed. I was supposed to be at the induction. So, I had to leave the induction to come. So, my right…my privilege is being abused by not being able to attend the induction, as I must come here to lay the report I have to lay.”
Also, Babajimi Benson, stated, “It is not a normal practice but we did it last week. A lot of members did not sit last week because the induction was taking place. The induction is for members to understand and to be abreast of what is happening in the country. So, we deemed it fit to extend that to this week’s batch as well.”
