It is no longer news that shameless members of the House of Representatives put up a show of shame yesterday, engaging in physical combat when seven governors loyal to the New Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) visited the National Assembly in Abuja.

While the visit to the Senate ended without any ugly incident, the reverse was the case at the House of Reps. Trouble started when Hon. Henry Ofongo, from President Goodluck Jonathan’s home state, Bayelsa, rose to vehemenetly oppose the visit.

The visit had started on a bright note, with Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, and other principal officers receiving the delegation led by the National Chairman of the New PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, in Room 0.28. In the delegation were governors Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto); Babangida Aliyu (Niger); Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano); Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Murtala Nyako (Adamawa); and Abdulfatai Ahmed (Kwara).

However, in the Huse chambers, as Baraje was introduced and asked to state the purpose of their visit, Ofongo, followed by Betty Apiafi (Rivers); Bethel Amadi (Imo); Kingsley Chinda (Rivers); and Bitrus Kaze (Plateau) tried to disrupt proceedings. Shouting “point of order!”, “point of order!”, Ofongo charged in the direction of the high table. He insisted that the meeting must not hold because he did not believe that many of the people at the venue were PDP members.

Ofogo was punched and shoved by pro-Baraje Reps and had his jacket pulled off.

Most of the members who charged at Ofongo are from Kano State. They include Aminu Suleiman, Baballe Murktar, Ali Madakaki and Ado Dogoa.

Dakuku Peterside and Andrew Uchendu, both from Rivers State, also shoved Ofongo, preventing him from moving close to the high table in his desperation to disrupt the visit.

Pro-Jontahan and Bamanga Tukur lawmakers rushed in defence of Ofongo, resulting in a free-for-all during which Ini Udoka from Akwa Ibom State lifted a chair but was prevented from throwing it. Another Akwa Ibom rep, Emmanuel Okon, also joined the fighting on the side of Ofongo.

The meeting ended hurriedly as tension escalated.

•Photo courtesy The Nation shows lawmakers slugging it out during the meeting . . . yesterday in Abuja.

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