There was mild drama on Thursday at plenary when deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Idris Wase shut down a motion by Solomon Bob (PDP, Rivers) to call the attorney general and minister of justice, Abubakar Malami to order.
This is over his recent comments on the ban on open grazing by Southern Governors.
The Southern Governors Forum had in a 12-point communique read by its chairman, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, at the end of its meeting in Asaba, Delta State last Tuesday prohibited opening grazing which according to the group was a high security risk factor and reiterated the calls for restructuring.
But Malami had on Wednesday in an interview on Channels Television, faulted the resolution of the Southern Governors which he said does not align with the provisions of the constitution.
Nigeria’s chief law officer said: “It is about constitutionality within the context of the freedom expressed in our constitution. Can you deny the rights of a Nigerian? For example, it is as good as saying, perhaps, maybe, the northern governors coming together to say they prohibit spare parts trading in the north.”
Obviously irked by those comments Bob, raised a point of order (Order 6 of House Rules Book) at the plenary, accusing the attorney general of the Federation of making inciting comments.
He described Malami’s comments as disingenuous, irresponsible and loaded with incendiary trope and ethnic slur, praying that the Ministers be called to order.
However, the lawmaker was stopped midway into his point of order by the deputy speaker who presided the session, asking him to take his seat as the order was wrongly cited.
Wase said: ”The order which you are bringing this matter is wrong. It’s either you bring it as a full motion but coming under matters of privilege is wrong so take your seat.”
Speaking later on the issue, Bob reiterated that Malami’s comments lacked any basis in law but are instead capable of exacerbating the tense situation in the country.
He said section 41 of the constitution which the minister alluded to deals with freedom of movement of human persons, not animals, and that comparing that with spare parts business is bad politics which is akin to preparing the ground for violent attacks on dealers in the business in the northern parts of the country.
He cautioned the attorney general to be mindful of his role under the constitution as the chief law officer of the federation and refrain from divisive utterances that cast him as sectional and partisan
