Protest in House of Representatives over sitting arrangement

Some House of Representatives members in Abuja protested on Tuesday against alleged discrimination in the allocation of seats and offices for the members.

The lawmakers, numbering about 100, who openly protested against the perceived tendencies, said the ugly trend was capable of causing a setback in legislative activities.

Supreme News reports that the House Committee on Welfare, chaired by Rep. Olawale Raji (APC-Lagos), was saddled with the responsibility of allocating seats for members.

The protesting lawmakers were mostly first-timers, who described the seats allocated to them at one of the temporary chambers as unconducive, as they were allocated seats on the third floor.

Also, Some of the lawmakers protested against the allocation of offices to the members.

According to the list issued by the Welfare Committee, 240 members were allotted seats on the second floor, while a few members, including some first-timers, were allocated seats on the ground floor.

Responding to the development, the Speaker of the House, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, called for calm while assuring that the main chamber, which is currently undergoing renovation, would be completed before the House resumes from recess.

Rep. Khadijat Bukar-Ibrahim, Chairman, Ad Hoc Committee on Media, said that there was a slight uproar during the plenary session.

She said the allocation of offices is the responsibility of the Welfare Committee, which has actually done the work and allocated offices to each and every member.

“And as far as the seats are concerned, you know we are in a temporary seating area, so there are not enough seats for all members to sit downstairs. So, some have to be accommodated upstairs.

“So, there was a slide uproar, but not a huge one, about not hearing the mic from downstairs,” She said.

“Mr. Speakerhad since directed that membersshould occupy any seat they find downstairs, and everybody was happy,” Bukar-Ibrahim added.