The raging bad blood between Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and his deputy, Ahmed Wase generated by the battle for speakership of the House of Representatives took a twist for the worse as Hon. Wase has snubbed any contact with the speaker and has not attended leadership meetings of the lower legislative chamber.
The parleys, held at the behest of Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, traditionally precede plenary sessions of the Green Chamber. It was observed that Wase, who is opposed to adoption of Dr. Tajudeen Abbas by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for speakership of the 10th House, has since last week, stopped joining the Gbajabiamila-led procession into the hallowed chamber.
The development is coming against the backdrop of attempt by opposing lawmakers to amend the House rules to revert to secret ballot system.
The chamber had, in controversial circumstances on July 24, 2019, amended its standing orders for election of presiding officers to be conducted in an open ballot system.
The resolution followed adoption of report of the Prof. Julius Ihonvbere-led ad hoc committee. Besides Wase, Muktar Aliyu Betara, Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, Sada Soli, Aminu Sani Jaji and Miriam Onuoha, tagged G7, are in the race for speakership of the House.
However, a member of the group and Majority Leader, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, last week, stepped down for Abass, in deference to directive of the Senator Abdullahi Adamu-led National Working Committee (NWC).
But Gagdi, who is a critic of the party’s power-sharing arrangement, has insisted to run, noting that it was great injustice for the seat not to be zoned to North Central geo-political, where he and Wase hail from.
The Plateau-born lawmaker argued that in the absence of justice, equity and fairness, party supremacy and loyalty remain inconsequential.
He said his group would not be intimidated by introduction of the controversial open ballot system, adding that the measure would not save Abass from defeat. The Guardian reports.
In another development, Gbajabiamila and Wase had an open confrontation during plenary session on Wednesday. Wase had openly accused the Speaker of backing Tajudeen for the Speakership position.
The duo clashed during plenary over the announcement by the Speaker that the Order Paper for Thursday 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 by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He asked the Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business to ensure that the order paper was not clouded with the day’s business so that the House can adjourn early enough for the event.
But Deputy Speaker Idris 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, maybe 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 commissioning. 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”.
Gbajabiamila who first ignored his Deputy, made another announcement before returning to address him saying “DS, I have been in this House 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.”
Turning to the Chairman of the Committee on Rules and Business, Gbajabiamila said: “make the order paper light for tomorrow. This House will adjourn at 2.00pm” while members present at plenary chorused Carried
