A sharp disagreement broke out on the floor of the House of Representatives over which committee should probe the alleged irregular allocation and management of the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex.
The controversy followed a motion sponsored by Hon. Ademorin Kuye, seeking an investigation into the alleged illegal sale of government assets at the Trade Fair Complex.
Hon. Francis Waive, Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business, raised a Point of Order, arguing that the motion falls under the jurisdiction of the Committee on Commerce.
“If you check Order 109, it clearly states that the Committee on Public Assets oversees ministries and agencies charged with the management and disposal of public assets,” Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, Chairman of the House Committee on Navy, countered.
Hon. Mark Esset argued that the Trade Fair Complex falls under the purview of the Committee on Commerce. “Trade fair is not a public asset being sold. It is a commercial entity,” Esset maintained.
The House Rules on page 153 list trade fairs under the functions of the Committee on Commerce, Esset added.
Deputy Minority Whip, Hon. Ali Isa, called for calm, urging members to follow due process and respect the guidance of the Rules and Business Committee.
“A joint committee should be constituted with the Committee on Commerce taking the lead,” Isa proposed.
The proposal was rejected, and Hon. Gaza Jonathan Gbefwi, Chairman of the House Committee on Solid Minerals, suggested that the Committee on Public Assets should take the lead role.
“Since it has to do with the premises and land, which are federal assets, Public Assets should lead the investigation,” Gbefwi urged.
Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Hon. James Shai Wubarka, disclosed that his committee had already begun oversight visits to the Lagos Trade Fair Complex.
“We have visited the complex twice on this same issue and are already on top of it,” Wubarka said.
The Speaker resolved to form an Ad-hoc Committee comprising members of both Public Assets and Commerce to jointly investigate the matter.
“It’s only an investigation. To bridge the divide between both committees, we will have an ad hoc committee involving members from both sides to handle it,” the Speaker ruled.
However, the arguments continued, and the motion was eventually put to a voice vote. Lawmakers rejected the motion, leading to a rowdy session.
The House later dissolved into an executive session, but the motion was stepped down following the lawmakers’ inability to resolve the controversy.
