An argument broke out between two members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the House of Representatives yesterday over the issue of 96 standing committees.
Rep Aliyu Magaji (APC, Jigawa) who is a supporter of House Leader Femi Gbajabiamila and Rep Herman Hembe (APC, Benue), a loyalist of Speaker Yakubu Dogara nearly exchanged blows on their way to an APC caucus meeting at the National Assembly.
It was gathered that Hembe nearly slapped Magaji after the latter reportedly uttered something, which the former was not comfortable with.
It was gathered that the argument could have degenerated but for the quick intervention of some lawmakers around.
Both Magaji and Hembe were later sighted at the venue of the APC lawmakers’ meeting.
This is even as both Dogara and Gbajabiamila met behind closed-doors to resolve their differences over the ongoing crisis about committee headship.
Gbajabiamila who lost the speaker’s contest to Dogara on June 9 has publicly rejected the composition of the 96 standing committees’ chairmen and deputies announced by Dogara on October 22.
The composition of the committees showed that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) got 48, while the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was allocated 45. The Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) got one each.
Dogara went ahead to inaugurate the committees on Monday despite protests from some of Gbajabiamila’s loyalists, who along with the House leader boycotted the event which took place at the House chamber.
Consequently, Gbajabiamila’s loyalists met at the APC national secretariat during the inauguration and addressed a press conference where they accused Dogara of being APC in the public and PDP at heart, saying their position was that of all APC lawmakers in the House.
But some APC Reps loyal to Dogara summoned a meeting of the APC Caucus by 10am yesterday allegedly to pass a vote of no confidence on Gbajabiamila and subsequently call for his removal. However, lawmakers loyal to the House leader got wind of the plan and stormed the meeting venue.
As the meeting of the lawmakers was going on, Dogara and Gbajabiamila were also meeting at the Speaker’s office, where they discussed on how to resolve the matter.
It was gathered that Gbajabiamila told Dogara that he was only carrying out his duties as a leader of the APC Reps in the House but added that he was ready to work harmoniously with the speaker for the House to be peaceful.
Signs that the duo may have resolved to bury their differences became glaring when Gbajabiamila for the first time since June was seen accompanying Dogara to his office after plenary as well as attending a courtesy call at the speaker’s office.
Chief Whip of the House, Alhassan Ado Doguwa told journalists shortly after the APC Caucus meeting that there was no cause for alarm and that the rumour of plans to remove Gbajabiamila as House leader was unfounded.
“I want to tell you on behalf of the leadership of the House that there is no crack in the leadership whatsoever.
“As I am talking to you, Rt. Hon Dogara and the Leader are in the same room discussing, trying to see how we can move ahead.
“I want to tell you precisely that by what we did yesterday (Monday’s inauguration), the flight of the 8th National Assembly has taken off. It has not only taken off, it has taken off very successfully. And it’s a flight that is a four year bound flight with Dogara as the pilot.
“I want to tell you that we have maintained the status quo for now and Femi is our leader and even the speculations made that there is any move to remove him as our leader is unfounded and it is not from the leadership of the House or the APC,” he said.
Similarly, Rep Mustapha Bala Dawaki (APC, Kano) told journalists that their yesterday’s caucus meeting was to clear the air on the press conference by some of their colleagues, saying the position taken by the lawmakers at the party’s secretariat was not that of the APC Caucus in the House.
He said it was wrong for their APC colleagues to refer to them as PDP members when they remained committed to the party’s ideals and change agenda.
He said based on what they gathered, Gbajabiamila did not deliberately boycott the inauguration but that he missed his flight from Lagos to Abuja on that day.
Daily Trust.
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