The House of Representatives on Tuesday witnessed a heated debate over which committee should investigate alleged irregularities in the allocation and management of the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex.
The disagreement, which briefly turned the plenary into a rowdy session, centred on whether the investigation should be handled by the House Committee on Public Assets or the Committee on Commerce.
The controversy arose from a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Ademorin Kuye, who sought a probe into the alleged illegal sale of government assets at the Trade Fair Complex.
In his motion, Kuye proposed that the Committee on Public Assets should conduct the investigation.
However, the Chairman, Committee on Rules and Business, Francis Waive, raised a point of order, arguing that matters concerning trade fairs fall under the purview of the Committee on Commerce as outlined in the House Standing Orders.
His submission sparked a sharp exchange among lawmakers, with members split over which committee had proper jurisdiction.
Chairman of the House Committee on Navy, Yusuf Gagdi, countered Waive’s position, citing Order 109, Rules 1 and 2 of the House Standing Rules, which, he argued, give the Committee on Public Assets oversight of all government-owned properties, whether within or outside the country.
“The Lagos Trade Fair Complex is a public property of the Federal Government. If you check Order 109, it clearly states that the Committee on Public Assets oversees ministries and agencies responsible for the management and disposal of public assets,” Gagdi argued.
Disagreeing, Mark Esset maintained that the facility falls squarely under the Committee on Commerce, since it operates as a commercial enterprise.
“Trade fair is not a public asset being sold; it is a commercial entity. The House Rules, on page 153, clearly list it under the functions of the Committee on Commerce. If the House erred in an earlier decision, we have the power to reverse it,” Esset said.
Deputy Minority Whip, Ali Isa, appealed for calm, urging members to respect due process and the guidance of the Rules and Business Committee.
He proposed a joint committee led by Commerce, with Public Assets and other relevant committees participating.
His suggestion was, however, not adopted.
Instead, Chairman of the House Committee on Solid Minerals, Gbefwi Gaza (SDP–Nasarawa), proposed that the Committee on Public Assets should take the lead since the motion involved the ownership and possible sale of federal property.
“Since the issue concerns land and premises owned by the Federal Government, Public Assets should lead the investigation, while Commerce may participate given the trade-related activities there,” Gbefwi submitted.
Opposing the proposal, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Commerce, James Wubarka, disclosed that his committee had already visited the Trade Fair Complex twice on oversight duties.
“We have been to the complex twice on this same issue and are already handling it. Reassigning it now would amount to stripping our committee of its responsibility,” Wubarka stated.
As tempers flared, the presiding officer intervened, clarifying that the motion concerned the allocation and management of the Trade Fair Complex premises, not the conduct of commercial activities.
To calm tensions, the Speaker ruled that an ad hoc committee be constituted, comprising members of both the Public Assets and Commerce committees, to jointly investigate the matter.
“It’s only an investigation. To bridge the divide between both committees, we will have an ad hoc committee involving members from both sides,” the Speaker ruled.
Despite the intervention, murmurs and arguments continued.
When the main motion was eventually put to a voice vote, it was rejected, prompting a further rowdy scene as the Deputy Speaker struggled to restore order.
The house later went into an executive session to de-escalate the disagreement, after which the motion was stepped down, pending further consultation among lawmakers.
