There was commotion at the House of Representatives on Wednesday as members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, fight over the announcement of Minority Principal Officers of the House by the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Some members were said to have struggled to snatch the mace to prevent the speaker from announcing the officers.
The struggle was said to have begun at about 2.30 pm when Kingsley Chinda of the PDP moved a point of order, interrupting the speaker who was about to read a letter signed by 99 members of minority parties.
He said Order 6, Rule 1 of the House Rules said that members of minority parties in the House shall choose from among themselves someone with experience to lead them, saying that where the House rule was not clear on the procedure, the House should follow precedence or follow a resolution of the house.
The lawmaker stated that the PDP had written to the speaker and had presented him to be the Minority Leader.
According to him, Chukwuka Onyema (PDP-Anambra) was selected to be Deputy Minority Leader; Yakubu Bade (PDP-Kaduna) as Minority Whip and Muraina Ajibola (PDP-Oyo) as Deputy Minority Whip, whule asking the speaker to follow the precedents of the House and adopt the list of lawmakers sent by the major minority party.
Gbajabiamila, however, ruled Chinda out of order, saying that there were nine minority political parties and that the PDP alone could not determine who led the minority.
The speaker attempted to read the letter, which he said, was signed by 99 minority political parties but in a loud cry, members left their seats and started struggling for the mace.
Members of the sergeant-at-arms rushed in to prevent the lawmakers from taking the mace and some lawmakers held unto each other about to get into a fight.
Gbajabiamila went on in a rowdy session and announced Ndudi Godwin Elumelu as Minority Leader; Toby Okechukwu as Deputy Minority Leader; Gideon Gwani as Minority Whip and Adesegun Adekoya as Deputy Minority Whip.
According to The Nation, the speaker adjourned plenary to Thursday.
