The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, and a member of the House, Independence Ogunewe would have exchange blows yesterday, but for the quick intervention of three other colleagues who held back the raging Speaker from hitting Mr Ogunewe.
The duo, who have been sworn enemies since 2008, insulted each other until the Speaker was pulled into the chambers.
Trouble began when Mr Bankole, who was returning from Room 231 of the House’s new wing where he had hosted some agitators from Aba State, was accosted by Mr Ogunewe who shouted at the Speaker, “why are you blackmailing me, what have I done?” The Speaker ignored the tirade and tried to exchange pleasantries with Mr Ogunewe, who showed no interest in Mr Bankole’s overture.
Bothered about the response, Mr Bankole explained to Mr Ogunewe that he had been to his (Ogunewe) house with a view to sorting out their differences, but only met his wife.
Mr Ogunewe shouted that the Speaker may have gone to see his wife and not himself. He was also heard saying, “what is this mad man saying? Is that all?”
The response angered Mr Bankole who turned back and charged at Mr Ogunewe but was restrained by the Minority Leader, Mohammed Ali Ndume, the deputy minority leader Abdulrahman Kawu and Khadijat Abba Bukar Ibrahim. The Chief Whip, Emeka Ihedioha and another member, Benard Udoh also moved to stop the Speaker..
The duo, who were now raining abuses on each other, created a scene which attracted passersby before Mr Bankole was taken into the chamber where he took over from his deputy, Usman Nafada. He had stepped down for Mr Nafada midway in order to receive the delegates from Abia State who came to lobby the House for the creation of Aba state.
As soon as the Speaker took his seat, he dissolved the House into an executive session which lasted for more about 90 minutes. The session aborted the planned voting on the harmonized version of the report on the constitution review.
Speaking after the session, chairman of the Rules and Business Committee, Ita Enang denied that the issue was discussed.
“Absolutely nothing like that, nothing concerning the Speaker and Independence was discussed,” he said. Mr Enang merely said that some crucial issues such as the amendment budget bill, 2010 Supplementary budget, the Human Rights Commission amendment bill and the legislative staff salary were discussed since the House would proceed on two week recess today.
He said, “We have agreed to vote on the constitution as well as to begin the consideration of the first, second and third reading of the supplementary amendment bill and to consider the human rights Commission amendment bill because of the sanction that is likely to be placed on Nigeria on the 11th of January among others after which we will go on two weeks break.
“We have also agreed that tomorrow being the end of session we must definitely have a two weeks break. The issue of the minimum wage is a matter that is an Act. Even if the President agrees to pay and we make provisions for it, we will definitely come and amend the Act. We didn’t want to discuss some of this in plenary that is why we went in for an executive session.”
Calls for suspension
But our sources said the matter was discussed and some members demanded that Mr Ogunewe be suspended. Others, however, prevailed on the House not to suspend the lawmaker.
Mr Bankole had earlier in the day held a two-hour meeting with chairmen and deputy chairmen of the 84 standing committees of the House .
Sources at the meeting said the Speaker pleaded with them to allow peace reign in the lower legislative chamber. He also reportedly assured the committee leaderships that he would no longer dissolved the committees as earlier announced. The meeting, it was gathered, also discussed the issue of members quarterly allowances which they want increased to N42 million.
It was learnt that efforts were made at resolving the differences between Messrs Bankole and Ogunewe, who has never hidden his disdain for the Speaker’s leadership style.
Mr Ogunewe, a Peoples Democratic Party member from Imo State, fell out with the Speaker in 2008 when the latter removed him as chairman of the House Committee on Aviation. Bethel Amadi, Chief Whip of the House under Patricia Etteh, was appointed in his place and Mr Ogunewe was redeployed to the Committee on Cooperation and Integration in Africa.
Angered by the redeployment, Mr Ogunewe joined other members of a group called Transparency Group to demand for investigation into the N2.3 billion car scam allegedly involving the Speaker. The Speaker and members of the leadership were absolved from the allegation by the Committee on Ethics and Privileges to which it was referred.
Following the agitation for probe, Mr Ogunewe was on February 26, 2009 suspended for two weeks. He returned in March 2009 and later joined another pressure group in the House, Nigeria First Forum (NFF), which was floated to canvass the installation of Goodluck Jonathan as Acting President. The group also initiated a move last month to impeach Mr Bankole.
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