ABUJA – The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt., Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, on Tuesday chided members for inattentiveness while Plenary was in session.

The Speaker was piqued that members kept moving around and discussing amongst themselves, hence creating an atmosphere of rowdiness on the floor of the green chamber.

It was when the House Leader, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, presented a Bill for an Act to Establish the Nigeria Police Academy as a Degree Awarding Institution to Provide Academic and Professional Training; and for Related Matters (HBs. 90, 195, 684 and 1209), for second reading.

After Monguno finished, Gbajabiamila started calling on some members, he observed were inattentive, randomly to contribute to the debate which they could not and rather apologised.

“This placed is called the hallowed chambers for a reason. This is not a marketplace,” he chided.

He said it was wrong that a Bill of such importance would be treated and not many members were paying attention.

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“You have to respect the sponsor of that Bill or any Bill for that matter. This place is like a court room if not even more important. But you see how quiet court rooms are. That is how this place should be. We should take note,” he said.

He said even though it is the duty of the Chief Whip to maintain order and discipline, he had to also do his bid to ensure members always fall in line.

Deputy Minority Whip, Toby Okechukwu also quoted Order 9 Rule 4, 9, 10 and 12 which stated that during sitting all members should be silent or converse only in undertones and that no may member may interrupt others while speaking.

“We often have members not observing this rule, when we are supposed to be discussing issues affevting the nation. I think we should take caution, stay and and do the business of Nigeria on the interest of all in this time of the pandemic,” he said.

Thereafter the chamber fell quiet as proceedings continued.