By Festus Owete and Ini Ekott


June 3, 2010 12:03AM

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, and a member of the House, Independence Ogunewe would have exchange blows yesterday, but for the quick intervention of three other colleagues who held back the raging Speaker from hitting Mr Ogunewe.

The duo, who have been sworn enemies since 2008, insulted each other until the Speaker was pulled into the chambers.

Trouble began when Mr Bankole, who was returning from Room 231 of the House’s new wing where he had hosted some agitators from Aba State, was accosted by Mr Ogunewe who shouted at the Speaker, “why are you blackmailing me, what have I done?” The Speaker ignored the tirade and tried to exchange pleasantries with Mr Ogunewe, who showed no interest in Mr Bankole’s overture.

Bothered about the response, Mr Bankole explained to Mr Ogunewe that he had been to his (Ogunewe) house with a view to sorting out their differences, but only met his wife.

Mr Ogunewe shouted that the Speaker may have gone to see his wife and not himself. He was also heard saying, “what is this mad man saying? Is that all?”

The response angered Mr Bankole who turned back and charged at Mr Ogunewe but was restrained by the Minority Leader, Mohammed Ali Ndume, the deputy minority leader Abdulrahman Kawu and Khadijat Abba Bukar Ibrahim. The Chief Whip, Emeka Ihedioha and another member, Benard Udoh also moved to stop the Speaker.

The duo, who were now raining abuses on each other, created a scene which attracted passersby before Mr Bankole was taken into the chamber where he took over from his deputy, Usman Nafada. He had stepped down for Mr Nafada midway in order to receive the delegates from Abia State who came to lobby the House for the creation of Aba state.

As soon as the Speaker took his seat, he dissolved the House into an executive session which lasted for more about 90 minutes. The session aborted the planned voting on the harmonized version of the report on the constitution review.

Speaking after the session, chairman of the Rules and Business Committee, Ita Enang denied that the issue was discussed.

“Absolutely nothing like that, nothing concerning the Speaker and Independence was discussed,” he said. Mr Enang merely said that some crucial issues such as the amendment budget bill, 2010 Supplementary budget, the Human Rights Commission amendment bill and the legislative staff salary were discussed since the House would proceed on two week recess today.

He said, “We have agreed to vote on the constitution as well as to begin the consideration of the first, second and third reading of the supplementary amendment bill and to consider the human rights Commission amendment bill because of the sanction that is likely to be placed on Nigeria on the 11th of January among others after which we will go on two weeks break.

“We have also agreed that tomorrow being the end of session we must definitely have a two weeks break. The issue of the minimum wage is a matter that is an Act. Even if the President agrees to pay and we make provisions for it, we will definitely come and amend the Act. We didn’t want to discuss some of this in plenary that is why we went in for an executive session.”

Calls for suspension

But our sources said the matter was discussed and some members demanded that Mr Ogunewe be suspended. Others, however, prevailed on the House not to suspend the lawmaker.

Mr Bankole had earlier in the day held a two-hour meeting with chairmen and deputy chairmen of the 84 standing committees of the House .

Sources at the meeting said the Speaker pleaded with them to allow peace reign in the lower legislative chamber. He also reportedly assured the committee leaderships that he would no longer dissolved the committees as earlier announced. The meeting, it was gathered, also discussed the issue of members quarterly allowances which they want increased to N42 million.

It was learnt that efforts were made at resolving the differences between Messrs Bankole and Ogunewe, who has never hidden his disdain for the Speaker’s leadership style.

Mr Ogunewe, a Peoples Democratic Party member from Imo State, fell out with the Speaker in 2008 when the latter removed him as chairman of the House Committee on Aviation. Bethel Amadi, Chief Whip of the House under Patricia Etteh, was appointed in his place and Mr Ogunewe was redeployed to the Committee on Cooperation and Integration in Africa.

Angered by the redeployment, Mr Ogunewe joined other members of a group called Transparency Group to demand for investigation into the N2.3 billion car scam allegedly involving the Speaker. The Speaker and members of the leadership were absolved from the allegation by the Committee on Ethics and Privileges to which it was referred.

Following the agitation for probe, Mr Ogunewe was on February 26, 2009 suspended for two weeks. He returned in March 2009 and later joined another pressure group in the House, Nigeria First Forum (NFF), which was floated to canvass the installation of Goodluck Jonathan as Acting President. The group also initiated a move last month to impeach Mr Bankole.

CRAZY People!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would have loved to see this on youtube or something, lol

Useless people who do nothing but fight and pass bills to increase their salaries and allowances.

Shioor!

source pls!

The journalists couldnt tell us what led to the fracas between the two guys.

Foolish men.

they are all touts in agbada.

The duo, who have been sworn enemies since 2008, insulted each other until the Speaker was pulled into the chambers.

If Nigerians on NL cant bring their points across without getting personal, why should we expect the speakers of HOR to do otherwise?

Osama10:

they are all touts in agbada.

Stop being a tribalistic tout.

Osama10:

they are all touts in agbada.

even with their nce,nd,hnd,bsc lwkmd!!!!

I do not know why people are agitating for "Aba" State. Good Lord!

I don't care about Bankole brawling but Aba state. . . These Ngwa people! 

Aba state is a disturbing thought or vision from any country trying to move forward. It shows a height of stupidity and lack of honest intelligence. Instead of the lobbyist to hold the feet of the governor and the federal govt including civilians to their respective responsibilities. Who doesn't want an umuahia state, okigwe state, isukwuato state, arochukwu state, festac state, lagos island state, nnewi state, etc.
Is so sad that daftness is ingrained in more than 85% of nigerians maybe including me too but i doubt that because i can see that more states are not the solution.

naijaway:

Aba state is a disturbing thought or vision from any country trying to move forward. It shows a height of stupidity and lack of honest intelligence. Instead of the lobbyist to hold the feet of the governor and the federal govt including civilians to their respective responsibilities. Who doesn't want an umuahia state, okigwe state, isukwuato state, arochukwu state, festac state, lagos island state, nnewi state, etc.
Is so sad that daftness is ingrained in more than 85% of nigerians maybe including me too but i doubt that because i can see that more states are not the solution.

Gbam!!

RICHIE BOI:

source pls!

go and buy today's NEXT newspaper.

SSSSSHHHHHHHHH!!!!! No noise. Agberos in session.

Sad! Sad! Sad. How can we trust these people to represent us? Ogunewe obviously is a sadistic loser who cannot come to terms with the fact that he was relieved of his office. However, expected more from that Oxford graduate Bankole. he should conduct his affairs better.

In my opinion, Ogunewe must be suspended again for a reasonable period and Bankole properly reprimanded for nearly putting the house in disrepute. Ogunewe is also a fool. if Ogunewe indeed made that comment to the effect that Bankole must have been to see his wife, then he is s big fool and need to explain himself to his wife. In my view he is saying that she might be a loose woman and up to some "dodgies" and cannot be trusted to keep her hands off other men. Ogunewe really needs to grow up and conduct his affairs with great decorum which is called for by his office.
As to their request for a pay rise, that is disgraceful and only shows that they are in it for themselves alone. If not why should that be so important to them at this difficult time in the economic history of Nigeria and given the global recession when other leaders in gt he world are accepting pay cuts. Nigerians shine your eyes at the 2011 general elections.

source pls!

go and buy today's NEXT newspaper.

Mbulela. That is wicked

@isimili. I feel you.

Olooooooooh! Triple H vs Batista.

EzeUche:

I do not know why people are agitating for "Aba" State. Good Lord!

I don't care about Bankole brawling but Aba state. . . These Ngwa people! 

what about ngwa people? the capital of zamfara state has fewer inhabitants then the people that live around ohanku and port harcourt roads in Aba, and you call zamfara a state

naijaway:

Aba state is a disturbing thought or vision from any country trying to move forward. It shows a height of stupidity and lack of honest intelligence. Instead of the lobbyist to hold the feet of the governor and the federal govt including civilians to their respective responsibilities. Who doesn't want an umuahia state, okigwe state, isukwuato state, arochukwu state, festac state, lagos island state, nnewi state, etc.
Is so sad that daftness is ingrained in more than 85% of nigerians maybe including me too but i doubt that because i can see that more states are not the solution.

Aba state is not just Aba and environs, am sure it includes other local government areas but all am saying is that if the idea of creating states is to bring development to the people, Aba then deserves it more than many states up there in the north, how many people live from bungudu to kotonkorushi on your way to sokoto state

Is Ogunewe an igbo name or is he a non igbo representing Imo state?

Aloy+Emeka:

Is Ogunewe an igbo name or is he a non igbo representing Imo state?

HE IS A FIRST CLASS PUNK FROM MBAISE, HE IS ONLY GOOD AT LIFTING PROPOSALS AND OTHER KINDS OF LEGISLATIVE CODES FROM THE UNITED STATES, NOTHING ORIGINALLY, ALL THE GUY DOES IS ALIGN WITH ANY FOOD IS READY CLIQUE

tired of guys who keep going "source please"

These are what am talking of that our brothers are doing so many problems things in publics places

Obasanjo who always like public altercations
Bankole, who almost fight in public recently
Deji of Akure
Navy man Arogundade who beet up innocent gal in public
An Osun LG Chairman (have not remebered his name presently) who beet up DHL Chiarman leading to his death
Ambassador Rotimi who forget to respect his minister boss and quarel in DC with minister

Akin-Egba:

These are what am talking of that our brothers are doing so many problems things in publics places

Obasanjo who always like public altercations
Bankole, who almost fight in public recently
Deji of Akure
Navy man Arogundade who beet up innocent gal in public
An Osun LG Chairman (have not remebered his name presently) who beet up DHL Chiarman leading to his death
Ambassador Rotimi who forget to respect his minister boss and quarel in DC with minister

What says you about Ogunewe, mekus? we will like to know our opinion. You english has all of a sudden improved. Very fast improvement i might add.

Most of them there are former bus park thugs. . .

aint surprised,remember the times they use to fling chairs about and pull their agbadas off to engage in brawls.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcroSnd8XW8

donspony:

Most of them there are former bus park thugs. . .

aint surprised,remember the times they use to fling chairs about and pull their agbadas off to engage in brawls.

So what wld u say abt parliamentarians in Taiwan where brawls in the parliament is a usual occurrence.

^ ^ whether in Taiwan or Nigeria. .

it only goes on to show incompetent people in power.