Suicide bombing in Borno, cholera outbreak, and attendance roll call were some of the highlights of Tuesday’s plenary in the House of Representatives
Sack security appointees over Borno suicide bombing…
Rep. Abdulsamad Dasuki (PDP Sokoto) has called on President Bola Tinubu to sack all his appointees in the security sector, citing their failure to meet the expectations of Nigerians. He made this call while contributing to a motion condemning the recent suicide bombing in Borno state. The motion of urgent importance was sponsored by Rep. Ahmed Jaha (APC Borno). Dasuki noted that President Tinubu appointed northerners to head the security sector so as to curb the insecurity in the region and they have not been able to meet expectations. He stated that the country needs a scapegoat, adding that the House should urge the President to sack all his political appointees in the security sector. Rep. Yusuf Gagdi (APC Plateau), in contributing to the debate, countered the claim that the security sector was dominated by northerners, noting that both the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun and the Chief of Army Staff, Taoreed Lagbaja, are southerners. The House resolved to condemn the bombing, observed a minute silence and asked the committee on national security and intelligence to investigate the development.
Chinda on cholera outbreak…
The House of Representatives has called on the federal and state governments to urgently implement measures to effectively control cholera outbreak in the country. The House also directed its committees on information, national orientation, ethics, and values to conduct public orientation, enlightenment, and education on the importance of maintaining personal hygiene at all times. Furthermore, the House mandated the committee on healthcare services to urgently collaborate with relevant stakeholders in the health sector to investigate the root cause of the outbreak. These resolutions were made following the adoption of a motion brought under a matter of urgent public importance by the Minority Leader of the House Rep. Kingsley Chinda (PDP Rivers). Moving the motion, Chinda expressed grave concern over the recent cholera outbreak in Lagos State and various other parts of the country. He also pointed out that the latest outbreak, reported and confirmed by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), poses a significant public health concern for both the government and the citizens.
Deputy Speaker gets scolded during plenary
Rep. Hart Cyril Godwin (PDP Rivers), on Tuesday reprimanded the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu (APC Abia), for not always give chance to first term members to contribute to a debate. Rep. Godwin who came under a personal explanation said ” I have noticed Mr. Speaker, with due respect to you that each time you preside you don not give preference to first timers. Look at the mover of the motion is a ranking member, virtually everyone who contributed here were all ranking members. You need to allow for fresh ideas Mr. Speaker some of us we know more than the old ranking members, allow us to speak.”
Attendance taken in the House of Representatives on Tuesday
Plenary session today witnessed noticeably fewer members in attendance. This session marked the second sitting in the second session (2024/2025) of the 10th House. The Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the plenary, repeatedly emphasized the need for members to exercise patience to allow the completion of the day’s over-bloated order paper. He explained that the order paper needed to be exhausted because of commencement of the Legislative Open Week starting on Wednesday. During the committee of the whole, Deputy Speaker Kalu instructed that the attendance of the members present in the plenary be recorded.
Here are the bills that were considered in today’s plenary
