Reps fail to sit as Speaker adjourns plenary in anger

The House of Representatives failed to sit on Thursday following the absence of order paper, which made Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila angrily adjourn plenary till next week.

Gbajabiamila had arrived at the Chamber around 11.20 am and was unhappy over certain developments. First, the absence of order paper, and second, with the Clerk of the House for not being in his seat when he arrived. 

Also, the chamber was scanty with only a few members seated at the time the Speaker got in.

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Unable to hold back his anger, the Speaker fumed, “I am going to hold you (the clerk) responsible, I am going to hold whoever is responsible. This House sits at 11.00 am, everybody knows that. This is 11:20 am, when I came in, there was nobody in this row. You were not here, none of your deputies was here. The order paper is not ready, we cannot function as a House.

“What kind of thing is that, that we are now forced to adjourn plenary. Everybody should see me in my office, House adjourned till Tuesday.”