Blows, slaps exchanged in the House of Representatives

File Photo; Fighting in the House of reps

Caution was thrown into the wind on Tuesday as supporters of the Speaker of House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and the Majority leader, Femi Gbajabiamila engaged in physical combat over the constitution of the 96 Standing Committees of the House.

It can be recalled that  Gbajabiamila shunned the inauguration of the headships of the committees during the special plenary and some of his supporters who had participated in the inauguration but latter went to the All Progressives Congress, APC, Secretariat to berate the Speaker for allegedly working against President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC.



The issue which led to the starting of plenary late caused the APC caucus in the House to convene an impromptu meeting which lasted about thirty minutes.

It was gathered that trouble started when the newly inaugurated Chairman of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Rep Herman Hembe, representing Konshisha/Vandekiya Federal Constituency of Benue State on the platform of the APC, who is the speaker’s supporter allegedly slap his colleague, Rep Magaji Aliyu representing Birnin-Kudu/Buji Federal Constituency of Jigawa State also of APC and a supporter of Gbajabiamila over argument on the committees composition.

But the intervention of the Deputy Speaker, Yussuff Lasun, saved the situation from escalating as he made frantic efforts to pacify the warring members to sheath sword.

One of the lawmakers who spoke under condition of anonymity, noted that the caucus meeting chaired by the Deputy Speaker was aimed at deliberating on the actions of the Majority Leader and his allies.

The rowdy development which was at the lobby also forced about 100 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to gather in groups to discuss the lingering crisis.

Speaking after the caucus meeting which ended at 11:38am, the Chief Whip Rep Ado Doguwa dismissed alleged plans to impeach the Majority Leader.