Fight breaks out at House of Reps as new PDP meets lawmakers

 

A meeting between the seven governors of the new Peoples Democratic Party faction, and members of the House of Representatives has ended after fighting broke out.The governors, alongside the chairman of the faction, Abubakar Baraje, met first with senate president, David Mark. A follow up meeting at the House of Representatives with Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, and members of the House, degenerated into chaos with supporters of the Bamanga Tukur-led PDP jeering at remarks made by Mr Baraje.The chaos soon escalated after two members, Dagogo Peterside and Henry Ofongo, from Rivers and Bayelsa states respectively, went up against each other.Mr. Baraje told Mr. Mark that President Goodluck Jonathan must give up his ambition for a new term

Members of Nigeria’s House of Representatives returned from their eight weeks vacation on Tuesday and were sucked straight into the crisis rocking the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
There have been speculations that the division within the Nigeria ruling PDP which has led to the creation of a faction of the party may result in a major crisis in the National Assembly where the party has majority of members.
Over 50 members of the House and about 27 Senators have already pledged loyalty to the breakaway faction of the party led by Alhaji Kawu Baraje and supported by seven governors elected on the party’s platform.The speculation became real when Honourable Aminu Tambuwal, the Speaker informed members at the plenary that the leadership of the New PDP would visit the caucus to address them on activities of the party.He read out the request of the new PDP convened in a letter addressed to the Speaker signed by the secretary of the party, Chief Olagunsoye Oyinlola.“Those of us in the leadership who are members of the PDP have unanimously agreed to crave the indulgence of this group to visit us. We will listen to them and they will go,” Tambuwal who explained that the meeting will take place after the sitting said.
But the faction loyal to the main PDP led by Alhaji Bamanga Tukur immediately expressed their disapproval of the visit with the shouts of ‘no, no, no.’As the situation became rowdy, members loyal to the Baraje faction countered with shout of “yes, yes.” The protest lasted for about 20 minutes.
It was later learnt that some members were also protesting what they thought was a neglect of a similar letter of intention to visit members from the Tukur faction.
“I think I need to clarify two points. One, there was a communication from our leader, Alhaji Bamanaga Tukur, on the same issue that he wanted to come and also address the House but he withdrew his letter only this morning and that’s why I did not read it. The whole of this was not supposed to take place on the floor of the House, it is a PDP caucus issue,” Tambuwal said on why he refused to read the letter from Tukur.
But real pandemonium broke out when the leaders of the breakaway faction of PDP led by Baraje arrived National Assembly for the visit around 3.30 pm. alongside governors Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto); Babangida Aliyu (Niger); Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano); Romiti Amaechi (Rivers); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Murtala Nyako (Adamawa); and Abdul-Fatai Ahmed (Kawara).A member loyal to the Tukur faction identified as Henry Ofongo from Bayelsa State raised a point of order as members of the new PDP were being introduced to the annoyance of lawmakers on the opposing camp and this resulted in a free for all fight in which chairs and other available objects were freely used.Ofongo had earlier led some Representatives including Betty Apiafi (Rivers); Bethel Amadi (Imo); Kingsley Chinda (Rivers); Bitrus Kaze (Plateau) and others to Room 0.28 venue of the event.