2nd July, 2015
By Ayo Oyoze Baje
When Amoke, the wife of a newly elected member of the House of Representatives made the suggestion that her husband, Kamba Usman should go for some weeks training in self defence before resumption, her neighbours laughed her to scorn. Even her children too. To them, this was one joke taken too far. What has lawmaking got to do with karate, judo kicks, boxing or the more physcial art of wrestling, they wondered. That was back in April. But now, Amoke is having the last laugh.
She watched with a mixture of horror and interest last Thursday when some members of the House of Representatives disrupted plenary on the floor of the Green Chamber of the National Assembly. Her heart thumped wildly, like that of a short distance runner gunning for the first prize. Adrenaline pumped into her veins. Her eyes, which were glued to the television screen searched for her husband amidst the melee of flailing arms and legs. By the time she spotted him, the man’s khaftan was torn into shreds.
Just then Adamu and Shefiya, two of her three children entered the living room only to watch the petrifying spectacle of not a few lawmakers shamelessly engaged in fisticuffs, throwing of punches, chairs and kicks as the battle for the mace raged on. When eventually they spotted their befuddled father, beaten into pulp tears of anguish took the place of excitement.
Problem started when the Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara attempted to appoint principal officers for the House. There were clashes between members loyal to Dogara and others who pitched tent with the APC in nominating principal officers. While pro-APC members chanted “on party supremacy we stand,” pro- Dogara members chanted “Dogara”.
In an attempt to make away with the mace anger took the place of reason even as they were prevented by others. The brawl that ensued would make a big budget Nollywood movie, likely to be titled Vagabonds In Power (VIP), in line with the late Afrobeat King, Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s prediction.
This lawless, indecorous drama throws up some salient questions that have dominated the public sphere in recent days. How come, that the All Progressives Congress (APC) which rode to the podium of political power on the back of the tide of the immense goodwill of the good people of Nigeria did not spell out the terms of appointing leaders of Committees? And if it did, why would both the Senate President, Saraki and his counterpart at the Green Chamber, Dogara go ahead and flout such rules?
As some have observed, the lawmakers were voted on the platform of their political parties and not for their individual merits. It is like the question of which came first between the chicken and the egg. If, as some analysts are reiterating, it has always been the prerogative of the lawmakers to choose those they deem fit to lead them, why would the party now claim superiority? These are some of the questions that continue to agitate the minds of long-suffering Nigerians. Especially those who queued for hours under the scorching sun and the whipping rain to vote for ‘Change’.
As the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara reminded the members they belong to a privileged class amongst Nigerians. They should, therefore, conduct themselves in a peaceful manner and face the task of providing qualitative leadership to Nigerians. But even after his apology to Nigerians, it must be noted that the unbecoming behaviour of lawmakers did not start on Thursday. The series of scandals from the era of Salisu Buhari through Patricia Ette to Dimeji Bankole are bitter reminders of one ignoble House of Commotion. And it is not likely to be over soon as long as the incongruous political structure persists.
To begin with, political power must be devolved from the bloated centre to the federating units, as wisely recommended by the National Confab. It has also become economically expedient for lawmaking to be on part-time basis and the remunerations drastically scaled down in tandem with the harsh economic situation in the country. As long as the cost of accessing political power remains high so long shall we be bedeviled with crooks and criminals jostling for juicy positions in both chambers, driven more by the lure of the lucre than by any altruistic concern for the general good.
As one angry observer recently retorted: “This is not the Change APC promised Nigerians.” The earlier it puts its house in order, the better for us all.
—Baje is a veteran journalist based in Lagos.