John Ameh
Disagreement among lawmakers on Thursday forced the House of Representatives to step down a motion seeking to commend President Muhammadu Buhari for declaring June 12 as Democracy Day.
This happened after the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara struggled for nearly 20 minutes to contain a rowdy session from deteriorating.
The disagreement ranged from the conflict in the President’s declaration and the Public Holidays Act, to calls by some lawmakers that Buhari should ask the Independent National Electoral Commission to release the full results of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.
Some members also demanded that INEC should declare the acclaimed winner of the election, Chief MKO Abiola, as “President-elect.”
Dogara came under pressure to suspend the debate and step down the motion so that all the differences could be reconciled.
The House referred the matter to the Committees of Justice and Rules/Business to look into it and report back within a reasonable time.
The speaker stated, “Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
“This is the beauty of democracy, which allows everyone to air their views.
“We must not be seen to be taking decisions that will be called to question later. The Public Holidays Act, in the 5th Schedule, lists May 29th as Democracy Day.
“We have to look at this vis-a-vis Section II of the Presidential Proclamation to be properly guided in a passing a resolution on this matter.”
With the ruling, the debate was called off abruptly in a bid to restore order to the House proceedings.
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