From Teddy Oscar, Abuja
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The sudden visit of the ‘New PDP’ national chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, to the House of Representatives o Tuesday threw the returning lawmakers into a free for all fight.
Members of the House, who returned from an eight-week long recess, had earlier been informed on the floor of the House by the speaker, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ‘New PDP’ had written a letter to inform the party members of Baraje’s visit.
The announcement caused a state of rowdiness as both faction members engaged one another in a shouting march for about 30 minutes.
When normalcy returned, Tambuwal explained that the leadership of the House decided to welcome both Baraje and Tukur at their behest only for Tukur to withdraw his letter of request at the early hours of Tuesday.
“I think I need to make two points clear. One, there was a communication from our leader, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur on the same issue; he wanted to come and address the PDP caucus. Now, Tukur withdrew his letter only this morning and I couldn’t have read his letter having withdrawn it. The whole thing is we are not going to receive them on the floor. He (Baraje) will address us at 3.00pm in room 028 new building.
Baraje eventually arrived room 028, at the exactly 3.47 p. m. where Tambuwal and the House leadership were already seated to receive the factional leader, who was accompanied by the G-7 governors, members of his NWC and some senators.
But shortly after the proceedings commenced, Hon. Henry Ofongo (Old PDP, Bayelsa) alongside Hon. Patrick Asadu (Old PDP, Enugu) and a handful of the pro-Tukur lawmakers came into the hall and started shouting ‘point of order’ ‘no way’, ‘Bamanga is our man’, na Bamanga we know’ causing noise and commotion.
This angered the pro-Baraje lawmakers led by Hon. Aminu Suleiman and Hon. Asita, grabbed Ofongu by his blazers and stopped him from proceeding to where Baraje, the governors and other members of his entourage were seated.
The commotion that ensued lasted for almost 45 minutes as the pro-Tulur lawmakers made up of Bethel Amadi (Imo), Friday Itulah (Edo), Betty Apiafi (Rivers), Bitrus Kaze (Plateau), Samson Okwu (Benue), Tijanni Yusuf (Kogi) Kingsley Chinda (Rivers) and others continued disrupting proceedings at the meeting shouting.
The House leader, Hon. Mulikat Akande-Adeola, who, however, went ahead with her welcome remarks, prayed that the visit would serve as the beginning of the resolution of the crisis in the party.
In his speech, Tambuwal noted that democracy can only flourish where there is a strong democratic culture.
Pointing out that democracy belongs to all Nigerians, and not the politicians alone, he urged politicians to refrain from heating up the system.
Speaking after the rowdy gathering, leader of the New PDP House caucus, Hon. Andrew Uchendu, told journalists that the action of the pro-Tukur lawmakers was characteristic of the impunity and lawlessness associated with Tukur and his executives.
He revealed that their membership has risen to 108.
