A legislative session turned chaotic at the House of Representatives on Tuesday as lawmakers engaged in a heated debate over the extent of the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) powers to monitor the internal activities of political parties.
The Spark of Controversy
The rowdy session began when Hon. Peter Ifeanyi Uzokwe of the Young Peoples Party (YPP) from Anambra State raised a matter of personal explanation. He urgently called upon Speaker Abbas Tajudeen to clarify provisions in the Electoral Act, specifically arguing that the law does not explicitly grant INEC the authority to oversee internal party affairs such as congresses and National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings.
As Uzokwe attempted to reference Section 82(1) of the Act to bolster his argument, Speaker Abbas promptly interjected. The Speaker reminded the chamber that the House is currently in the process of amending the Electoral Act and that a dedicated session to review all clauses jointly with the Senate is scheduled for the following week.
"My appeal is that we suspend discussions on electoral matters until the amendment proposals are tabled," Speaker Abbas stated, emphasizing that the upcoming session would comprehensively address all areas of the law deemed "defective."
Escalation and Points of Order
Despite the Speaker's appeal for patience, Hon. Uzokwe stood his ground, insisting that his concern was about "an existing law." He warned that ongoing misinterpretations of INEC's powers were creating wrong impressions outside the walls of the National Assembly.
The situation escalated when Hon. Nwaeke Felix Uche from Rivers State raised a point of order. He argued that Uzokwe's motion was inherently controversial and therefore could not be properly addressed under Order 8, Rule 6, which is reserved for non-controversial personal explanations.
In response, Speaker Abbas affirmed that it is within his prerogative to determine what qualifies as controversial but reiterated his call for deferring the discussion until the amendment process is completed.
Further adding to the debate, Hon. Kabiru Mai-Palace contended that the motion was not a personal matter and should not have been entertained under the rule. Conversely, Hon. Jesse Okey-Joe Onuakalusi from Lagos cited Section 4 of the Constitution, asserting that the House has a fundamental duty to hear members who raise pertinent legal matters.
Resolution and Aftermath
Despite these multiple interventions and arguments, the Speaker maintained a firm stance. He insisted that all discussions on the subject should be deferred until Deputy Speaker Dr. Benjamin Kalu presents the consolidated Electoral Act amendment proposals.
The chamber remained in a rowdy state for over 15 minutes as members voiced their disagreements. Order was eventually restored, allowing the House to resume its scheduled business for the day, which was the presentation of 28 bills.
This legislative clash highlights the ongoing tensions and critical discussions surrounding Nigeria's electoral laws and the precise scope of INEC's regulatory powers as the nation continues to refine its democratic processes.
