Govs’ immunity: Motion to check Mbu divides Reps

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A motion on alleged disrespectful conduct and utterances of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone II Command, Mr. Joseph Mbu, on Tuesday divided members of the House of Representatives along party lines.

Senate

It has become difficult of late for members of the Peoples Democratic Party in the House and their All Progressives Congress colleagues to speak with one voice on any issue.

The rift became wider following a series of defections from the PDP to the APC, which gave the latter a higher numerical figure of about 180.

The PDP, hitherto the majority party, has dropped to around 161 members.

On Tuesday, an APC member from Kano State, Mr. Alo Madaki, moved a motion asking the House to “condemn” Mbu for alleged violations of the 1999 Constitution and showing “disrespect for the rule of law.”

Madaki recalled that‎ Mbu recently directed officers and men under his command to “disregard any immunity being enjoyed by state governors” under his zone.

He also said the AIG had directed his men to kill as many people as possible in retaliation for any policeman killed during the upcoming general elections.

Madaki further told the House that Mbu “abused” his office when he served as the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command.

He argued that Mbu’s conduct and utterances were a violation of the constitutional immunity ‎of the governors and also proved that he had little regard for the lives of Nigerians.

But, PDP members consistently interrupted him, accusing Madaki of passing judgment on Mbu before he was heard.

One member from Ebonyi State, Mr. Linus Okorie, raised a point of order to stop Madaki.

Okories shouted that Mbu must first be given fair‎ hearing before a judgment of condemnation was passed on him.

The House suddenly became rowdy as APC lawmakers shouted at Okorie to sit down.

“Sit down; sit ‎down; you don’t have anything to say,” some of them  shouted.

As the rowdiness continued, the presiding Deputy Speaker, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha, tried to rule on the motion, but he too was interrupted by both parties.

However, pressure was mounted on Madaki to amend his motion to read that the House should “investigate” Mbu’s alleged conduct and utterances.

Madaki deleted “condemn” from the motion and replaced it with “investigation by the House Committee on Police Affairs” before the motion was later passed in a majority voice vote.

Meanwhile, a scheduled debate on the use of the military during elections was postponed till Wednesday.

The House had last week referred the matter to its joint Committees on Rules/Business, Justice and Judiciary for advice after it pitted PDP and APC lawmakers against one another.

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Govs’ immunity: Motion to check Mbu divides Reps