The House Representatives yesterday went into a rowdy session following a move to suspend the embattled former chairman Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin over allegation he made against the Speaker, Dogara and three other principal officers of the House.
The chaos started when Emmanuel Oker-Jev, representing Tarka/Buruku federal constituency of Benue state (APC), the chairman committee on Rules and Business raised a motion seeking the suspension of Jibril whom he accused of breaching the rules of the parliament due to his wild allegation on budget padding.
Just as the speaker recognised Oker-Jev, to move the motion, another member Aliyu Madaki was raising his hand to be recognised but the Speaker gave the nod to Oker Jev.
While moving the motion, Oker-Jev said Jibrin embarked on a campaign of calumny and denigration by making false and scandalous statement against the entire membership and the institution of the House and National Assembly
Oker-Jev further said that all Jibrin's allegations were contrary to section 24 and 30 of the legislative act.
He said "They are in breach of the standing order of the House of Representatives, particularly the provisions on privileges of the House and that of members therefore touching or sizing the Mace order 10 rule 13 and 15.
"The allegations are contemptuous of the House of Representatives as an institution. Punishment, suspension not less than six months," he said.
At this point Jibrin was observed to be walking around the chamber under the close watch of the sergeant-at-arms.
However, the motion scale through with a loud yes as the Speaker put the question and it was referred to the ethics and privileges committee who would look into the matter and report back to the House in one week.
At this point, members began shouting "Dogara, Dogara."
When Madaki was recognised to speak, he made a point of order which the speaker responded to asking him to resign first since the allegations were made against all members which includes him.
He was barely heard as members were screaming at the top of their voices, "sit down, sit down".
Aliyu Madaki advised all those accused by Jibril to resign for fair investigation into the matter but the Speaker countered him that hence the allegations as made by Jibril is collective then then will be willing to resign but if only Madaki can tender his resignation first.
Speaking earlier in his opening remarks, Dogara said Jibrin's allegations were aimed not only at the destruction of the image of some members but a systematic destruction of the institution of the House.
"I have bad news for those who think they can pull down this Institution of the people. If history is any guide, no one, in a democracy has ever succeeded in destroying a democratic Institution such as the House of Representatives, although examples abound of such effort by people both within and outside the Institution. Ours cannot be different.
"Let me assure all Nigerians that the House is patriotic enough to understand the mood of the nation and the critical and sensitive matters of urgent national importance deserving our immediate attention.
"We will therefore not be distracted by any insidious antics however well orchestrated, and falsehoods however cleverly propagated to confuse Nigerians. We remain accountable to Nigerians for our conduct as public servants," Dogara said.
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