SAN FRANCISCO, November 18, (THEWILL) – A week after two members of the House of Representatives exchanged punches over the lopsidedness of House Committees, a mild drama ensued at the Senate on Tuesday, as two senators openly engaged in war of words over composition of Senate Committees.
The two All Progressives Congress (APC) senators almost engaged in fisticuff, as they held each other’s clothes, while journalists watched helplessly.
The fight was between a retired comptroller of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and senator representing Bauchi South, Ali Wakili and former commissioner for water resources and senator representing Zamfara Central, Kabir Marafa.
Wakili chairs the Committee on Poverty Alleviation and Social Welfare, while Marafa is the chairman, Senate Committee on National Identity and National Population.
Trouble started when Marafa disrupted plenary during the debate on the adoption of the eighth Senate Legislative Agenda.
According to him, it was illegal for Senate president, Bukola Saraki, to proceed with the matter when the issue of composition of Senate Committees had not been resolved.
Marafa had last week challenged the Senate president that the announcement of the committees was illegal, without recourse to all senators.
At Tuesday’s plenary, the Senate president, however, ruled him out of order, on the grounds that the upper chamber had already adopted the Votes and Proceedings of the previous day.
Saraki, however, assured that the Senate would expedite action on the inauguration of Standing Committees to enable it commence its oversight function fully.
Irked by the ruling, Marafa angrily walked out of the chamber and dashed down to Senate Press Corps, with a view to addressing journalists on the development.
He was, however, accompanied by Wakili, who tried to dissuade him from doing so. A heated argument ensued between them, which lasted for about four minutes, as they held each other’s clothes.
While Wakili drew his attention that he was putting the Senate in disrepute by his fierce criticism of the Senate president, Marafa would have none of that, insisting that he had the backing of his constituents.
Specifically, Marafa informed Wakali that he was only playing to the gallery because he was made chairman of a committee as a new lawmaker.
Wakili threatened: “I will go to your constituency and see what you have done there;” to which Marafa fired back: “Go back. I will go to your own. I was in politics before you when you were wearing uniform.”
The Zamfara senator also took a swipe at Saraki, saying: “The problem with Senate president is that he was unwilling to learn his job. In the four years he stayed there, he was absent most of the time,” just as the former Customs boss rebuked him, saying despite being a ranking senator, he was ignorant of the Senate Rules.
Marafa, however, failed to address the Press, as they both walked out of the Press Corps angrily to their respective offices, as the verbal assaults continued at the lobby.
