New Telegraph

Open grazing: Rep blast Malami, says comments by minister irresponsible

A member of the House of Representatives from Rivers State, Hon. Solomon Bob has described the comments by the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Mallam Abubakar Malami regarding the open grazing ban as “disingenuous, irresponsible and loaded with incendiary trope and ethnic slur”.
Bob made this declaration at the Thursday’s plenary of the House.
Although, attempts by the lawmaker to cause the House to deliberate on Malami’s comments failed as Deputy Speaker Ahmed Idris Wase, who presided over the session, overruled Bob’s point of order.
Bob had raised a point of order of privilege to bring the attention of the House to the comment, which he said was capable of fuelling crisis in the country.
However, the presiding officer, Ahmed Idris Wase immediately requested to know the specific order in their standing rules book.
Bob, a lawyer and member representing Abua/Odual and Ahoada East federal constituency of Rivers state cited Order 6 matters of privilege and its relevant subsections.
Having got the green light to speak, he brought up the issue of Malami’s comment, praying the House to call him to order.
But the Deputy Speaker stopped him midway on the ground that he was going outside of the order which he cited.
He pleaded Wase’s understanding to drive home his points and perhaps, be ruled out of order eventually.
But his pleas were not taken as he was asked to return to his seat.
“The order which you are bringing this matter is wrong. It’s either you bring it as a full motion to be debated, but coming under matters of privilege is wrong so take your seat,” Wase said.
When contacted later, Bob lambasted Malami and reiterated that the AGF’s comments lacked any basis in law but were instead capable of exacerbating the tense situation in the country.

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