Confusion erupted at the in the House of Representatives yesterday when eight lawmakers from Katsina State declared as duly elected by the Court of Appeal stormed the House demanding to be sworn in.
The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Friday sacked two senators and eight members of the House from Katsina State who got their mandate after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared those that initially won the elections in 2011 as non-original occupants.
Daily Newswatch learnt that one of the eight lawmakers found his way into the chambers of the House at about 11am waiting for the presiding officer to come and swear him to the oath.
But fight broke out when some of those sacked by the Appeal Court on Friday noticed the presence of the ex-lawmaker in the chamber and told him to leave. The ex-lawmaker, however, resisted, which prompted another lawmaker to order him to leave. It degenerated into a free-for-all, as the ex-lawmaker had his cloth torn. He reportedly pulled his gown, saying he was ready for the worse .It took the efforts of some All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers for the chaotic situation to be stopped and order restored as leaders of the APC were immediately called upon to intervene. Minority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, his deputy, Suleiman Abdullrahman Kawu Sumaila, and Deputy Minority Whip, Garba Datti, were among those that immediately dashed to the area and convinced the ex-lawmaker to leave the chamber for a dialogue. The APC leaders then took the ex-lawmaker along with some of his colleagues to a room for a meeting. But midway into the meeting, the ex-lawmakers walked out.
Speaking to journalists after the walkout, one of the affected ex-lawmakers from Funtua Muntari Dandutse accused the lawmakers of not respecting the laws that they enacted.”What is happening in this House is very unfortunate. The issue of ‘Katsina 10’ is very clear, which is being denied. The law has no barrier. After winning in the Federal High Court and Court of Appeal, which faulted the National Assembly and INEC for withdrawing our certificates, the Appeal Court has affirmed that judgement. The court said very clearly that we should repossess our seats, without any hindrance. INEC has no power to issue certificate of return without contesting an election,” he said.
Another ex-lawmaker, Tasi’u Doguro, Mashi/Dutsi, said, “This is the 13th time we are winning court cases against our opponents. We made sure that the National Assembly and INEC were served copies of the judgement by Monday. We came yesterday (Tuesday), they said we should come today (Wednesday) to take our seats. But when we came today, we were told another thing, that unless we go to Supreme Court, they will not swear us to the oath, which means they don’t respect the judgments of Federal High court and Court of Appeal.
“There is a lot of political blackmail. Actually, what is happening now in the National Assembly, this issue of favouratism is very dangerous. We don’t belong to the Masari camp. Masari was a Speaker here. So, they are doing him a favour. But that is very unfortunate,” he said.
But the Minority Leader Gbajabiamila told journalists after the meeting which lasted for about 30 minutes that the House would not act until it sees the outcome of the appeal by the current lawmakers in the Supreme Court.
“The House will follow procedures, tradition and the law. That is the position of the House. Of course, the law supersedes,” he said.
Source: Daily Newswatch
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