By Olawale Abdul-Fatah
Worried by the outcry that had trailed the suspension and impeachment of four Lagos State House of Assembly members, the House has inaugurated a committee to resolve the lingering crisis that had crippled lawmaking activities.
The decision to set up a committee on the crisis came four days after removal of two principal officers and suspension of two members over alleged insubordination and misconduct.
Addressing pressmen after a parliamentary session of lawmakers on Thursday, Spokesperson for the House, Tunde Braimoh, stressed that the crisis was currently been handled by lawmakers.
Braimoh said: “We are in the process of conflict resolution. We do not want to talk about what constitutes gross insubordination and indiscipline.”
He stated that the House has set up a committee headed by Hon. Ibrahim Layode to look into all the issues surrounding the removal of two principal officers and the suspension of two other members.
According to him, the House followed due process in its action on Monday as stipulated in order 10 rule 68 to 72 of the House Business rules.
While confirming the crisis in the House, the Spokesperson stressed though the House f Assembly has issues with some lawmakers bordering on indiscipline, lawmakers were one united family.
Braimoh stated that conflicts were inherent part of human nature and that when they come, there is a mechanism to resolve them, saying, those who are being reprimanded are our colleagues, they are not outcasts, and we belong to the same political party.
“We are mindful that the image of the House is at stake and we want to tell you that the people affected are not outcasts, they are our colleagues.
“The committee headed by Hon. Ibrahim Layode is looking at an amicable solution to the matter. All the issues about offices, access to Assembly and others would be addressed by the committee,” he said
Braimoh added at the briefing, which was witnessed by most members of the House, including the Speaker and other Principal Officers, that the way the two suspended principal officers were replaced was done normally.
He stated that the only two offices that were constitutionally recognised were those of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, and that others are done in-house.
“There are nothing to worry about, they were done accordingly. All that we did were done according to Order 10 Rules 68 to 72 of the Business Rules of the House.
“All the negativity that they are spreading about is exaggerated.
“There would be conflict and this is part of any society. That does not mean there is a sharp division or there is break down of law and order in the House,” he said.
He added that in law, it is believed that the fact of a matter speaks for itself and that all is well with the Lagos State House of Assembly.
“The Speaker is here, the Deputy Speaker is here, all the Principal officers are here and all the other lawmakers are here, apart from those that have other things to do and those that are under suspension that is not here.
“There is no problem that is beyond solution. It is just that when things are working there could be some disagreement here and there, that does not mean that we will go for the jugular,” he said.
Also speaking, the new Deputy Majority Leader of the House, Noheem Adams, said that his emergence as the Deputy Majority Leader of the House was based on the decision of the House and that he was not desperate to be the Deputy Majority Leader.
The new Chief Whip of the Assembly, Mojisola Miranda, stated that the House is one big family and that there was no quarrel amongst the lawmakers.
She added that she was not desperate for the office and that it was a call to service.
