Gbajabiamila and Wase disagree on modalities for conduct of plenary

 The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, and the Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase, clashed in the chamber during the plenary yesterday, Wednesday May 24^th 2023 over the duration today’s plenary should last.

Gbajabiamila had reportedly recommended Tajudeen Abbas and Benjamin Kalu for Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the coming 10th House, leading to their endorsement by the ruling All Progressives Congress.

Wase, who is eyeing the seat of Speaker, is a member of the G-7, a group of aspirants aggrieved with the leadership zoning formula of the APC, which plans to adopt a member to run against the party’s candidate.

Towards the end of the session, Gbajabiamila asked the Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Abubakar Fulata, to prepare a light order paper for today’s plenary as the sitting should close by 2pm to allow members attend an event at the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies.

The deputy speaker on his part maintained that the work of parliament should come first and members who would like to attend the commissioning should do so without affecting Thursday’s plenary.