The fragile peace that has persisted in the House of Representatives was ruptured Tuesday as members raved and raged over a bill seeking to confer Immunity on the presiding Officers of the National Assembly (NASS). Some members who opposed the bill said it was too self-serving and it is being discussed at the wrong time when the mood of the nation is not likely to bear such indulgence.
The bill which is the brainchild of the minority leader of the House, Leo Ogor, is seeking to alter the 1999 Constitution in order to confer immunity on the leadership of National Assembly.
Hon Ogor had barely commenced introduction of the bill for it to undergo second reading when trouble erupted as he was shouted and jeered at by those in opposition with most of the lawmakers moving menacingly in the direction of the Speaker.
While some members shouted “No, No, No in clear disapproval of the bill, a few others moved in the direction of the mace and would have hijacked it but for the vigilance of the Sergeant-at-Arms who held on to the mace in the midst of the pandemonium.
As soon as the noise died down, th Speaker, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara asked the Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Aker Jeff, to read the House Rules regarding amendment of the Constitution.
Apparently to stave off trouble, the Speaker hit the Gavel and directed that the bill be referred to the House Committee on the Review of the Constitution headed by the Deputy Speaker, Yusuff Lasun. It took a little while before order returned to the House.
