THIS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SHA – by Frank Ofili

Speaker of the House of Reps Yakubu Dogara

I have just heard with one ear that the House of Representatives has summoned the Minister of Interior, Lt-Gen. Abdulrahman Danbazzau(retd), and the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Prisons Service, Mr. Peter Ekpendu, over an alleged assault on Hon Joan Onyemaechi  Mrakpor (PDP,  Aniocha/Oshimili federal constituency, Delta State). 

It was reported that the assault took place on Wednesday, 20th April, close to the exit gate of the National Assembly when Hon Mrukpor, was driving out of the premises. It was alleged that security aides attached to the convoy of Ekpendu allegedly descended on her and slapped her for overtaking the convoy of the Controller General.

Assault is a condemnable and punishable act anywhere regardless of who is the victim or the culprit. It should even be more condemnable and punishable if a top government functionary is involved in the crime, or if a lawmaker becomes a victim, more so within the premises of the legislature.  

"Why can't this alleged assault on Hon Joan Mrakpor be referred to the Police? How does it now become a legislative business? Is it because the victim is a member of the House of Reps"

But I can't help but be curious about this very case. I am curious to know why it isn't simply a Police matter. It is well within the purview of the Nigeria Police 

Why is our federal legislature becoming something else these days? The other day it was the Senate who delved into matters it has no constitutional power to do. First, it practically re-wrote our 2016 federal budget. Few days later it summoned the chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal. Even though it later stood down that summons upon realizing itself, it is instructive that in both cases the Senate had no constitutional power to do what it did. 

Now it is the turn of the House of Reps to carry out its own share of infamy. How and when did investigating a case of assault become one of the responsibilities of our House of Representatives? What then is the job of the Police? Everyday, this National Assembly continues to  prove itself as a body without focus.

Why can't this alleged assault on Hon Joan Mrakpor be referred to the Police? How does it now become a legislative business? Is it because the victim is a member of the House of Reps?

But then on a lighter note, members of our Legislatures are notorious for this kind of ignoble role. They are noted for harassment and fighting on the floor of the Assembly. They tear their  cloths, give themselves bloody nose and black eye, turn the the Mace into an article of roforofo, and generally confirm that they were first class pugilists before they became elected members of the House. 

Come to think of it, they have even had occasion to prove that they are very skilled in scaling perimeter fences too. Not too long ago we saw how adept they were on this critical skill metric which has now become a basic requirement for membership of the house. 

But they don't stop there. Every day, their aides and body guards also harass, intimidate and chase other road users off the road. They violate road traffic regulation with impunity; sometimes even getting involved in a crash or clash with other motorists. They are not alone in this though. Other top government functionaries are equally guilty. In deed, one can safely deduce that it was in continuation of this impunity that the Mrakpor assault happened. Unfortunately for the Controller General this victim happens to be a federal law maker.

While we wait to see how this one goes suffice to say that at no time did any of these acts of impunity of big men become the business of the Legislature. So why now? if Hon Mrakpor was the one who assaulted someone in the premises of the National Assembly would the House have summoned her? Or better still, would the victim have been given the privilege to report her to the leadership of the House of Reps? 

One is not by any stretch of imagination supporting the assault on her, but I opine that the  Honourable should be advised to please take the matter to the Police. Or better still she should sue the culprits and their boss to court. Let them test their power there, and am sure she will not be short of lawmaker-bodyguards, escorts and waka pass lawyers. If the House cannot provide enough of them,  they may borrow from the Senate. Am sure Senator Dino Melaye would be willing to lead the squad. And of course the case would be adequately covered on Twitter. 

That is one thing not lacking in this National Assembly. Tweeting is a legislative business and they are performing excellently in that regard even though we are still trying to find practical demonstration of common sense there. 

Anyway sha, let us see how the summons pans out.