Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila and his Deputy, Idris Wase openly clashed during plenary on Wednesday, 24 May, 2023, over the announcement by the Speaker that the Order Paper for Thursday, 25 May, 2023, be made lighter to allow members attend the official commissioning of the permanent site of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies(NILDS).
Before adjourning the plenary, the Speaker announced the NILDS permanent site along Airport Road will be commissioned by 3.00pm on Thursday, 25 May, 2023, by President Muhammadu Buhari.
But Wase said the primary business of the House was lawmaking and other official businesses, adding that the commissioning of NILDS headquarters was not enough to adjourn the House.
Wase said members willing to attend the commission could do so while the business of the house is not disrupted.
But the Speaker said: “DS, may be the importance of NILDS is not clear to you like it is to some of us. We are not adjourning the House for members to attend the commussioning. I said the order paper should be made lighter because I will attend the commissioning.
But Wase fired back saying “Mr. Speaker, the House is not about I, but us”.
Turning to the Chairman of the Committee on Rules and Business, Gbaja said: “make the order paper light for tomorrow. This House will adjourn at 2.00pm” while members present at plenary chorused Carried.
Gbajabiamila who initially ignored Wase to make another announcement returned to address him by saying “DS, I have been in this House like long enough to know that this is the first time in the history of this House that a Deputy Speaker will openly oppose what the Speaker says.”
The endorsement of Hon. Tajudeen Abbas as Speaker of the 10th House has created a sharp division between the Speaker and his Deputy.
Wase is said to have avoided attending the usual leadership meeting held before plenary everyday, while also shunning the Speaker’s procession to the Chamber.
He had openly accused the Speaker of backing Tajudeen for the Speakership position.
Source – The Nation
