House Of Reps In Rowdy Session Over Leadership Position As APC, PDP Lawmakers Cross-Carpet

Rowdy House of RepsThe House of Representatives chamber was today thrown into confusion as Minority Leader Femi Gbajabiamila (APC, Lagos) while contributing to a motion, referred to the deputy leader of the House, Rep Leo Ogor (PDP, Delta) as ‘deputy minority leader’.

The reference to Rep. Ogor as ‘deputy minority leader’ confirms an earlier report by Information Nigeria that members of the lower chamber under the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, have vowed to effect leadership changes in the House in disobedience of a Court order directing lawmakers to maintain the status quo ante.

It was gathered that there was no formal change in leadership on Tuesday before Gbajabiamila referred to Ogor as the minority leader.

The lower chamber is still rowdy as at the time of filing this report as Peoples Democratic Party, PDP members have objected to the planned change as they rushed towards Gbajabiamila, while APC lawmakers have also stoutly risen to his defense.

****UPDATE****

Latest reports indicate that the Speaker, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has brought the situation under control as he upbraided Gbajabiamila for behaving the way he did.

He also confirmed that he was in possession of a court order barring the House from changing its leadership

Meanwhile, following resumption of plenary today, two APC lawmakers from Adamawa State and one from Plateau State defected to the PDP. They are Rep. Titsi Ganama (Adamawa, Madagali/Michika Federal Constituency), Rep. Hananiya Haske Francis (Adamawa, Gombi/Hong Federal Constituency) and Rep. Yahaya Kwande (Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency).

Also, a member of the PDP from Benue State, Rep. Emmanuel Jime (Makurdi/Guma Federal Constituency), defected to the APC.

With this development, the PDP has gained two lawmakers to its fold following the massive depletion of its ranks last year when 37 lawmakers dumped the party for APC while the opposition party lost two and gained two at the same time.