Speaker Gbajabiamila and his Deputy Idris Wase clash during plenary

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila and Deputy Speaker, Idris Ahmed Wase openly clashed during plenary on Wednesday over an announcement by the Speaker that the Order Paper for Thursday be made lighter to allow members attend the official Commissioning of the permanent site of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies(NILDS).

Naijablitznews.com reports that before adjourning plenary, Speaker Gbajabiamila had announced that the NILDS permanent site along Airport Road will be commissioned by 3.00pm on Thursday by President Muhammadu Buhari.

He then requested that the Chairman House Committee on Rules and Business ensures the order paper for Thursday was not clouded with the day’s business so that the House can adjourn early enough for the event.

But his Deputy Wase in reaction said the primary business of the House was lawmaking and other official businesses, and that the commissioning of NILDS headquarters was not enough to adjourn the House.

Wase said members willing to attend the commission could do so while the business of the House is not disrupted.

But the Speaker said: “DS, may be the importance of NILDS is not clear to you like it is to some of us. We are not adjourning the House for members to attend the commissioning. I said the order paper should be made lighter because I will attend the commissioning.

But Wase responded immediately by saying “Mr. Speaker, the House is not about I, but us”.

Gbajabiamila ignored the Deputy Speaker to make another announcement before returning to address him saying “DS, I have been in this House like and enough to know that this is the first time in the history of this House that a Deputy Speaker will openly oppose what the Speaker says”.

Turning to the Chairman of the Committee on Rules and Business, the Speaker said: “make the order paper light for tomorrow. This House will adjourn at 2.00pm” while members present at plenary chorused Carried.

Naijablitznews.com recalled that since the endorsement of Hon. Tajudeen Abbas as Speaker of the 10th House by Gbajabiamila, this has created divide and perhaps rift between the Speaker and his Deputy.

Wase is said to have avoided attending the usual leadership meeting held before plenary everyday, while also shunning the Speaker’s procession to the Chamber.

He had openly accused Speaker Gbajabiamila of backing Tajudeen for the Speakership position.

It has also been observed that since the announcement of the anointed candidates of the ruling All Progressive Congress APC by its national working Committee, speaker Gbajabiamila has always been presiding and sources say he might be afraid of been impeached if he allowed his Deputy to preside over plenary.

Naijablitznews.com recalled that Deputy Speaker Idris Wase is also part of the G7 group, a coalition of Speaker aspirants for the position of Speaker of 10th House of Representatives.

They have vowed to fight back by chosing one of them to contest again the choice of the ruling APC come June 13, 2023 when the 10th Assembly will be inaugurated.