Rep accuses Deputy Speaker of bias, stages walkout during Borno bomb attack probe

Amid the passage of bills and adoption of several motions in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, allegations surfaced against Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu by Cyril Hart, a member representing Degema/Bonny Federal Constituency, Rivers State.

During Tuesday’s plenary, Hart walked out of the lower chamber after accusing Kalu of discriminating against new members during debates.

Ahmed Jaha, representing Damboa/Gwoza/Chibok Federal Constituency, Borno State, moved a motion of urgent importance condemning the recent suicide bombings that claimed lives in the North-Eastern state.

Hart alleged that the Deputy Speaker usually gives preferential treatment to ranking members to contribute to debates, asserting the need to allow first timers the opportunity.

The motion, which sparked debates among lawmakers, resulted in the house resolving to investigate the incident.

However, shortly after the debate, as the deputy speaker was about to put the motion to a vote, Hart raised a point of order.

“You do not give preference to first-timers. You don’t. Virtually all those who spoke are ranking members. This is what you always do. You need to allow first-timers to make their contributions,” Hart said.

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In response, Kalu stated, “There is no discrimination in parliament. I was also a first-timer at one point.

Kalu added that lawmakers are recognised to speak based on their seating arrangements and may be overlooked if not in their designated row.

Hart, unsatisfied with Kalu’s explanation, staged a walkout from the chamber.

In its resolution following the motion’s debate, the house directed its Committee On National Security to investigate the incident.

The House also aimed to send a strong signal to Nigerians and the outside world that terrorism has no place in our society and that they are committed to taking all necessary measures to protect the lives and security of citizens.

Jaha informed the House that the bomb blast occurred on Saturday, June 29, 2024, targeting a wedding, a funeral, and a hospital in coordinated attacks in Gwoza, Borno State, Nigeria.

He described the heinous act of terror resulting in the loss of no fewer than 30 innocent lives and causing immeasurable grief and suffering to the affected community.

Jaha stressed the ongoing threat posed by terrorism in Nigeria, calling for enhanced intelligence-gathering capabilities and more effective engagement with local communities to prevent such incidents in the future.

He attributed the attack to complacency among the people and security agencies, noting that Nigerians had become less vigilant due to a perceived decrease in terrorist activities in the North East, which had moved to the North Central and North West regions.

Contributing to the motion, Hon. Abdulsamad Dasuki (PDP, Sokoto) called for accountability, urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to replace heads of security agencies who failed to secure the lives of Nigerians.

He said, “Recently, at a security summit in Katsina, the Vice President mentioned that the President deliberately appointed Heads of Security agencies from the North. Last year, the National Security Adviser made the same allusion.

“These killings in the North have been one too many. It is high time we hold someone accountable. We must make a scapegoat out of one person. Lives are lost on a daily basis, and no one has been sacked. 50 percent of our problems are security-related.”