A resolution requesting an investigation into the purported unlawful and criminal distribution of Federal Government lands at the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex sent the House of Representatives into disarray on Tuesday, November 4.
Ademorin Kuye (APC, Lagos) sponsored the motion, which called for the formation of an ad hoc committee to look into the purported land discrepancies.
However, the plan caused MPs to become tense right away, which resulted in a contentious discussion on the House floor.
Kuye’s move was fiercely opposed by a number of lawmakers who said that the House Committee on Commerce should conduct the probe rather than forming a new ad hoc committee because the issue was within its purview.
Following a voice vote, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who oversaw the meeting, decided in favor of Kuye’s proposal despite the objections.
Some members were further incensed by the ruling, accusing the presiding officer of bias and refusing to support later motions presented to the floor.
As some members started yelling at colleagues who tried to make additional motions, tensions increased. They insisted that no further legislative business should take place until the issue was reexamined.
The Deputy Speaker’s and senior members’ attempts to reestablish order were unsuccessful because disgruntled parliamentarians persisted in complaining about what they called procedural injustice.
In the midst of the chaos, the Deputy Speaker was compelled to convene an executive session, briefly halting the open plenary to facilitate private discussions meant to restore order.
The executive session’s specifics had not yet been released to the public at the time this report was filed.
The Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, which is situated along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, has long been the focus of controversy, according to Naija News, with stakeholders accusing officials of fraudulent allocations and land racketeering.
The most recent move represents a new phase in the ongoing dispute, which has now caused new rifts inside the Green Chamber.
