A heated protest erupted in the House of Representatives yesterday as lawmakers voiced their dissatisfaction with the alleged discrimination in the allocation of seats and offices. The protesting lawmakers, numbering about 100, fear that such discriminatory practices may impede legislative activities.
The House Committee on Welfare, chaired by Rep. Olawale Raji (APC-Lagos), was tasked with the responsibility of allocating seats and offices for the members. However, the protesting lawmakers, who were mostly first-timers, expressed their discontentment with the seats assigned to them in one of the temporary chambers, deeming the third-floor seating arrangement unsuitable.
Furthermore, the allocation of offices also drew criticism from some members. The list issued by the Welfare Committee revealed that 240 members were allotted seats on the second floor, while only a handful of individuals, including some first-time representatives, were allocated seats on the ground floor.
In response to the uproar, the House Speaker, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, called for calm and assured lawmakers that the main Chamber, currently undergoing renovation, would be completed before the House resumed from recess. In the meantime, Rep. Khadijat Bukar-Ibrahim, Chairman of the Ad hoc Committee on Media, shed light on the situation.
Bukar-Ibrahim explained that the allocation of offices falls under the purview of the Welfare Committee, which had already carried out the task of assigning offices to every member. Regarding the seating arrangements, she clarified that due to limitations in the temporary seating area, not all members could be comfortably seated downstairs.
During the plenary session, a slight uproar ensued as some members complained about not being able to hear the microphone from downstairs. However, Bukar-Ibrahim stated that the Speaker had swiftly intervened and instructed members to occupy any available seat they could find downstairs. This directive brought a sense of relief and contentment among the lawmakers.
The issue of seating arrangement and office allocation has now been temporarily resolved, but the discontent expressed by the protesting lawmakers highlights the need for fairness and proactiveness in carrying out administrative tasks within the House of Representatives. As the lawmakers continue with their legislative duties, it is imperative that the welfare and working conditions of all members are given due consideration.
