It is becoming clearer everyday that some of the people who lead this country are nothing but vagabonds. Since Tuesday's shameless clash between a group which calls itself Progressives, and supporters of the Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, in the House of Representatives, many people have struggled to find the right words to describe those we call our lawmakers. To say their act was disgraceful will be an understatement. They had acted like hooligans, hoodlums worse than those found at old Oshodi motor park in Lagos or Ariaria market in Aba. All one has to do is watch the tape of the fight and see the tattered clothing of the lawmakers involved, and images of street urchins and vagrants spring to mind. The dastardly behaviour of these lawmakers, a free for all fight which saw four members injured, has a precedence in another fracas which took place in the Edo State House of Assembly earlier in the year, where lawmakers fought with guns, axes - even the symbolic mace was used freely as a weapon.


The latest show of lawlessness and in a House that should help move the country forward, indicates that our country is in grave danger. One cannot even begin to quantify the damage this message from (s)elected leaders has done to our image in the rest of the world. This newspaper has noted in the past that raucousness among lawmakers is not peculiar to Nigeria, but elsewhere in the world such disagreements are for the common interest of the people and no arms or weapons are used; at worst, chairs are flung. Here in Nigeria, weapons are freely employed and one has to wonder about the security system employed in these Houses of Assembly. Worse, the fighting appears to have nothing to do with the deeply held ideals and the progress of democracy, and everything to do with a fall out from the sharing of looted booty and perks of office.


One of the ‘gangster' lawmakers, Austin Nwachuckwu, was arraigned before a court in Abuja for illegal possession of tear gas and for injuring fellow lawmakers. One begins to wonder what the difference is between a lawmaker who premeditatedly armed himself as if going to war and militants, campus cultists, armed robbers, area boys and many other facilitators of violence in our country. Not only that, the perennial accusations and counter accusations of embezzlement and all forms of corruption among the leadership of the House has become sickening. Yet we expect these charlatans to help the country fight the same social ills that they themselves are guilty of.
Two interesting developments have arisen so far: the House has seen it fit to condemn all forms of violence and riots in the country in their Wednesday session. Someone should remind the lawmaker who sponsored that motion, Friday Itulah, that those who set the example for violence and riots are his fellow lawmakers who have behaved like thugs. Moreover, the House has lost the moral ground to advise the nation against any form of violence.


Secondly, the People's Democratic Party met with the Speaker, Dimeji Bankole on Wednesday and demanded that he apologises to Nigerians over the fracas. Pray, what purpose is Mr. Bankole's apology to Nigerians supposed to serve? His involvement with this whole sordid affair demands more than an apology. His role, directly or indirectly, in this mess and the allegations levelled against him by his fellow law makers should be thoroughly investigated, and while that is ongoing, House Order 10, which deals with the suspension of unruly lawmakers, should be invoked on him.
Nigerians need to combat undesirable elements in the House and flush them out. So far 11 members have been suspended and their offices sealed off because of their participation in the fracas. This is not enough. Everyone who is linked to the turmoil should be questioned by the law for their role in inciting this scandalous behaviour. Those found culpable should all be suspended: No scapegoats, no one should be untouchable and no clandestine witch hunting. Every one of the erring lawmakers should face the law squarely. The country can no longer afford to stand by and watch vagabonds in power get fat pay cheques for boxing themselves silly. As Nigerians love to say, "heads should roll" in the House; maybe that will act as a deterrent to lawmakers who think they were there to flex their muscles anytime.

Why will vagabonds not be in total control of power in Nigeria,when all the good people are doing nothing but just it down and criticize.PLEASE HOW CAN CHRISTIANS BECOME CARD-CARRYING MEMBERS OF political parties in Nigeria.Please I want to join PDP.Am a Lagosian,working as a journalist in Lagos.Please call me on 08099558876 or seunjoseph7@yahoo.com.THANK YOU.