The House of Representatives Speaker, Mrs. Patricia Olubunmi Etteh, who is engaged in what seems a battle of her political life, had to adjourn proceedings in the lower Legislative House due to uncontrollable moves by members.
After a six-week recess, the House reconvened but adjourned abruptly amidst a rowdy session.
The Speaker said the House would adjourn for a day to commiserate with the family of the late Senate President, Chief Evans Enwerem as the former Chairman of the National Assembly.
But the adjournment was to deflect spirited attacks against her over the controversial N529 million renovation contract which has been rocking the House for sometime now.
Reporter said Etteh called for an adjournment to test the waters and draw out the strength of those baying for her blood.
The Speaker may today accede to the request of those calling for a probe of the renovation contract having discovered that those against her are in the minority.
But the modality for setting up the committee remained contentious even among the pro-Etteh lawmakers.
Newsmen gathered that the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Ahmadu Ali, and President Umaru Yar’Adua’s Special Adviser on National Assembly Matters, Mrs. Florence Ita Giwa, met with Hon. Farouk Lawan, a member of the Integrity Group in the House, which is moving against Etteh, to call for dialogue on the matter.
Before the proceedings of the House, the Senate President, Senator David Mark, met with the Speaker for more than 45 minutes in her office.
Sources said the meeting between the two leaders centered on how to douse the tension in the lower chambers.
Etteh came into the House chamber at 11.10 am, one hour 10 minutes after the House normal resumption time.
She offered the routine prayers and was about calling for prayers in honour of former Senate President, Enwerem, when she was interrupted. Members of the Integrity Group had, however, stormed the chambers as early as 8am.
Hon. Independence Ogun-newe, the son of an Anglican Catechist, then took the floor and delivered a lengthy prayer where he sued for peace and tranquility.
At the end of the prayers, a pin-drop silence descended on the House as all attention was focused on Etteh who then called for adjournment of the House till today to enable members honour Enwerem by suspending business for one day.
When the call for adjournment was put to vote, those in favour were in overwhelming majority.
However the Chief Whip of the House, Amadi, told newsmen the opposition was taking politics too far by refusing to pray for the dead.
“It is a parliamentary practice world wide that when a member or former member of the Parliament dies, he must be honoured. Even in war situations, there is a convention that time be allowed to retrieve dead bodies and a truce is called.
“It is degenerating to gutter politics and name calling. We should show respect whenever it is necessary.”
The Chairman, House Committee on Media and Publicity, Hon. Eziuche Ubani, who spoke with newsmen at the lobby of the National Assembly after the adjournment also explained that any time the issue of probe of the renovation contract came to the floor of the House; it would be taken on its merit.
He said it was a parliamentary practice to call for an adjournment when such a highly placed former or even presiding officer of the House or Senate died and what happened was not in any way unusual.
But newsmen confirmed that the Integrity Group was scheduled to meet again at Protea Apartments, opposite the Apo Legislative Quarters, Abuja where the group is expected to map out strategies for today’s plenary.
The session is billed to start by 2 pm.
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