By Peter Omopo
Proceedings at the turned rowdy on Tuesday following a motion seeking to rescind the passage of the Electoral Act amendment bill.
The House had reconvened from its budget defence sessions to deliberate on contentious clauses in the legislation when the Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business, , moved a motion to reverse the chamber’s decision taken in December.
The motion was seconded by the Chairman of the Committee on Electoral Matters, .
However, when the Speaker put the matter to a voice vote, members shouting “nays” appeared louder than those in support. Despite this, the Speaker ruled in favour of the “ayes,” a decision that immediately sparked protests from several lawmakers.
The disagreement escalated into a heated exchange on the floor, prompting the Speaker to call on the House Leader, , to move a motion for an executive session.
The chamber subsequently went into a closed-door meeting to address the disruption.
Earlier tensions had flared after some members accused the Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the Committee of the Whole, , of failing to consider the bill clause-by-clause before its passage. The allegation triggered an uproar, with lawmakers demanding adherence to proper legislative procedure.
The controversy centres on the amendment to the Electoral Act, a key piece of legislation governing Nigeria’s electoral framework.
Deliberations are expected to continue following the executive session as the House seeks to resolve the dispute surrounding the bill’s passage.
