‘Don’t wash our dirty linen outside’ – Speaker Abbas interrupts lawmaker at plenary

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has issued a stern warning to a lawmaker against commenting on the conduct of legislators in public.
The lawmaker representing Nnewi north/Nnewi south/Ekwusigo federal constituency of Anambra State, Ifeanyi Uzokwe, had raised a point of order to address the lack of decorum during Thursday’s plenary.
“Every day we come here, Mr Speaker, we receive our children and visitors in the gallery. Why are they here? They are here to see how we conduct ourselves and learn from us.
“But most times, what we display here is not what they should see as an example of parliamentarians. Mr Speaker, I love you, I love the leadership of this house, and we are united — but we must conduct ourselves,” he said.
The Speaker, however, interrupted him, stressing that the matter should be handled in an executive session.
“If what we are going to discuss pertains to this chamber, we can do it in an executive session.
“We don’t need to wash our dirty linen in public. I don’t understand what we stand to gain. You can request an executive session to address issues about our conduct. This is not the forum for that. I appeal to you to withdraw,” the Speaker said.




