Members of the House of Representatives may be violent in conduct, but in principle, they abhor aggression on the part of others.

A day after the brutal showdown, where lawmakers were stripped and injured by their colleagues, the chamber yesterday voted unanimously to urge the federal government to do all it can to contain rising violence in the country.

In its second motion of the day, the members condemned “in its entirety” every form of “violence and riots” in the country, hinting clearly the typical ‘do-as-I-say’ and not ‘do-as-I-do’ principle.

“A country cannot prosper in the face of unwarranted violence that leads to wanton destruction of lives and properties,” said Samson Osagie, a member from Edo State, who argued in favour of the motion.

The strange resolution, which also mandated the minister of information and communication to apply the rebranding Nigeria campaign against incessant hostilities, came a day after 11 lawmakers were suspended from the chamber in fiercely violent means.

The affected members formed the group, known as ‘The Progressives’, which had accused Mr. Bankole of corruption and had asked him to quit.

When the issue came up for consideration on Tuesday, the members were manhandled, suspended, and forced out of the sitting by their colleagues, loyal to the speaker.

A day after, the chamber remained calm with no member openly making mention of the incident. Mr. Bankole said it was an “unusual day”, in response to an issue raised by a member.

After that, the lawmakers passed quick resolutions namely, urging the government to raise its maintenance effort on public structures and facilities, and condemning violence and asking for a way out.

The motion on the riots and violence mentioned no incident in particular, but referred generally to cases of mayhems, which they said occur daily in the country, leaving many dead.

“This house resolves to call on all religious bodies to redirect their attention to preaching the need for peaceful co-existence to the members and adherents,” the statement of the resolution reads.

PDP condemns

Meanwhile, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) has decried what it called “the embarrassing scenes” in the House of Representative on Tuesday, and ordered the lower legislature to offer a public apology to Nigerians.

The party made this statement at a meeting yesterday to review current events within the party and the nation. In a statement issued at the end of the meeting, signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Rufai Ahmed Alkali, the party expressed its disappointment over the fracas in the House of Representatives, where members openly threw caution to the wind and engaged one another in unparliamentary conduct, .

“The NWC condemned the resort to violence which was carried out in the full glare of the public, including school children, who had gone to the National Assembly to experience the process of legislation first hand,” the statement read.

“The outcome of the sitting of the House of Representatives on the 22nd of June, 2010 is regrettable, and does not tally with the mood of the nation and the policy thrust of President Goodluck Jonathan, which encourages constructive engagement.

“The shameful act carried out by some members of the House of Representatives, some of whom are members of our party, also negates the new philosophy of discipline and decorum which the new national chairman, Okwesilieze Nwodo, has set out to instill in the party,” it said.

The party also announced that it has invited the leadership of the house for briefing on the incident vis-à-vis all those involved in the unruly behavior, to explain their roles and enable the party take the next line of action.

Bankole must not be allowed to get away with it. If allegations are brought against the number 4 man in the country, we expect that they would be dealt with frontally, in an open and civilised way. The employment of thugs to silence opposition cannot be allowed for any reason. Bankole has set a very terrible precedent that must be overturned for the health of our democracy.

the chamber yesterday voted unanimously to urge the federal government to do all it can to contain rising violence in the country.

Let it start from that green chambers where thugs camouflage as lawmakers

Funny. Pot calling the kettle to order. Na wa o.