Although the sight of brawling politicians is incongruous with a legislature’s stately image, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha seems to have made it a point of duty to subject his colleagues to stress and anger. Whenever he has been called upon to preside over proceedings in the August chamber, Ihedioha has always abused the opportunity to flaunt his confrontational brand of politics, adding to the simmering tensions in the House.
The latest incident occurred Thursday after a brawl erupted between lawmakers and Ihedioha over a bill which seeks to amend the Industrial Training Fund Act of 1971. The brawl erupted during a debate over whether or not the bill should pass through a second reading on the House floor which had already overwhelmingly rejected it. Apparently by a majority motion, the House had rejected the motion to amend the bill but Ihedioha who apparently had a vested interest in getting the bill amended overruled the motion.
Angered by Ihedioha’s action, which was said to be in clear violation of statutory House rules and regulations, a majority of the lawmakers engaged the Deputy Speaker in a shouting match that almost degenerated into a fist fight when Ihedioha assaulted a lawmaker on the floor of the House and asked him to “shut up”.
But for the timely intervention of Friday Itulah, Patrick Ikhariale, Sekonte Davies and Chudi Nwazuruike (who sponsored the bill) the situation could have degenerated into a free for all. The lawmakers whisked the assaulted lawmaker out of the chamber and averted what would have been a breakdown of law and order in the chamber.
As the majority of the lawmakers started staging a peaceful walk-out and headed for the exits, the embattled Deputy Speaker Reps unceremoniously moved a motion to adjourn the session. But on his way out, Ihedioha was confronted by many lawmakers who accuse him of high-handedness, disrespect and undignified behavior. Ihedioha was reminded by his colleagues that he was never elected from his constituency to become Deputy Speaker.
“We cannot seat here all day and our opinion will not be taken into consideration by the presiding officer. Nobody was elected as presiding officer from his constituency; they were all voted here on the floor. This is bad and it has to stop,” an aggrieved lawmaker was overheard saying.
This is not the first time that Ihedioha has overruled a majority motion and angered his colleagues. The Deputy House Speaker has shown scant disregard for House rules to the point that it has become his personal motto. Some lawmakers vowed to take up the issue of Ihedioha’s conduct to the House Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal when they resume in session next Tuesday.
