From Victor Osula, Abuja
Rowdy scenes erupted on Tuesday in the Nigerian House of Representatives, as members clashed over urgent motions on public assets and security, prompting the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, to suspend proceedings and direct lawmakers into a closed-door session to restore order.
The uproar began when Ademorin Kuye, representing Somolu Federal Constituency, Lagos, drew attention to the alleged illegal allocation of federal lands within the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, urging the House to mandate the Committee on Public Assets to investigate.
Kuye, who chairs the House Committee on Public Assets, described the alleged land racketeering as a threat to public interest and called for swift legislative intervention.
However, Francis Waive, the Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business, opposed the prayer, insisting that the Committee on Commerce, and not Public Assets, was constitutionally responsible for oversight of the complex.
Akwa Ibom lawmaker, Mark Esset, backed Waive, arguing that jurisdiction on the matter clearly fell under the commerce committee and should not be diverted.
Countering the argument, Yusuf Gagdi from Plateau State supported Kuye, insisting that matters concerning the disposal or illegal sale of government assets were squarely within the mandate of the Public Assets Committee.
Sensing a deadlock, Gbefwi Gaza (SDP, Nasarawa), acting on Deputy Speaker Kalu’s suggestion, proposed an ad-hoc committee, comprising members of both Public Assets and Commerce committees, to jointly conduct the investigation.
The motion triggered a sharply divided voice vote, prompting Kalu to rule in favour of the “nays”, a decision that set off protests across the chamber and fuelled growing tension among lawmakers.
The atmosphere worsened when a subsequent security-related motion by Mohammed Bio, representing Baruten/Kaima Federal Constituency, Kwara State, sought the establishment of a military base in crisis-ridden communities in his constituency. The motion was unexpectedly voted down, raising eyebrows and frustration.
Shocked by the rejection, Bio questioned why lawmakers would oppose a request aimed at curbing killings and insecurity in vulnerable rural areas, further heightening tension in the chamber.
Frustration peaked moments later when another lawmaker, Ayodeji Alao-Akala, raised a motion urging the House to address Nigeria’s designation as a “Country of Particular Concern” by the U.S. President, Donald Trump. Despite loud opposition from members, Kalu allowed the motion to pass — triggering open dissent.
As shouting intensified and lawmakers accused the presiding officer of inconsistent rulings, Kalu abruptly halted proceedings and summoned a closed-door session to calm tempers and restore decorum.
As of press time, resolutions from the closed-door meeting remained undisclosed.
