Posted by By JAMES OJO, Abuja on
Promoters of third term agenda in the House of Representatives scored a major victory Thursday as the motion to drum support for President Olusegun Obasanjo scaled the hurdles placed by antagonists of the agenda on Wednesday
Promoters of third term agenda in the House of Representatives scored a major victory Thursday as the motion to drum support for President Olusegun Obasanjo scaled the hurdles placed by antagonists of the agenda on Wednesday
The motion, sponsored by All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) member from Kebbi State, Abdulahi Umar, however, went through stormy session as the leadership of the House of Representatives could not come out clearly as to which camp carried the day after a prolonged debate characterized by booing and taunting.
Speaker Aminu Bello Masari failed to make a categorical statement as to who won between the Ayes and the Nays. He only put down the Gavel without a word to back it.
Debate on the motion was put on hold Wednesday when some members protested the inclusion of their names as promoters of the motion without their consent, while some pointed out that there were fictitious names of non members on the list.
Shortly after the Speaker called on the mover of the motion, Umar, ANPP member from Kebbi State to move the motion, Femi Gbajabiamila from Lagos and Datti Ahmed raised a point of constitutional order, an action that drew the ire of supporters of the motion.
The ensued confusion lasted for over 20 minutes as members jumped from their seat to protest the order, while Gbajabiamila, glued to his seat, watched the exchange of words between those who were in support of the motion and those that were against.
After the Speaker listened to the argument of supporters of the motion and those that were against it, he called for a voice vote but warned that he would have to divide the House should there be protest against the result of the voting.
C.I.D. Maduabum and Wumi Bewaji condemned the handling of the proceeding by Speaker Masari as they accused him of failure to keep to his pledge to divide the House should there be stalemate.
'I challenged the ruling of Mr. Speaker on this matter. Why is he finding it difficult to divide the House as promised because it was very clear that the Nays have it. This is a preparatory motion for the third term motion, this is why it is very necessary to know which side one belongs to. People should be bold to say this is where I belong to, this is a shame," he protested.
Bewaji noted that it was wrong for the Speaker to have allowed third term promoters to bombard him after there was stalemate, adding that it was very glaring that the motion was a prelude to the motion on third term as recommended by the constitution review committee.
Meanwhile, the House has adjourned till March 28, 2006 to allow frayed nerves to cool down.