The presidential system of government the world over is made up of the executive, legislature and the judiciary, with some even advocating the press as the fourth and Nigeria is no exception.

The introduction of this system of government, no doubt, is to enable the  various units function independently of the other but in actual fact, their functions complement each other to achieve a common goal.

Of course, if there is a disconnect in the function of any of them, there is bound to be negative consequences which send the wrong signal to those whose interest these various organs are meant to represent.

When President Olusegun Obasanjo assumed office as president in 1999, one ugly trend which has characterised the National Assembly, especially the House of Representatives has been the various incidences of fights among members of the lower chamber.

Since then, the media, especially in Nigeria has been awash with various headlines, announcing the show of shame which the so-called honourable members exhibit on the floor just to show Nigerians that apart from making laws, they could as well exchange blows without shame.

Come to think of it, most of the fights which occur in the House happen not because of issues that would benefit the people of the country, rather, because of their personal interests.

For example, in August 1999, the House rose one day without an adjournment as members used their fists rather than their voices to decide a motion.

The argument was over whether or not the Federal Government should relocate four parastatals of the Ministry of Transport, namely, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Maritime Authority (NMA), Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) and Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) back to Lagos from where they were moved to Abuja in 1997.

As deliberations on the matter were ongoing, observers and members of the press present were taken aback as the House degenerated into chaos, and twice the then Deputy Speaker, Hon. Chibudom Nwuche, who presided in the absence of Speaker, Ghali Umar Na’Abba, had to escape through the back door, leaving in desperation, the symbol of authority, the mace behind even as several irate members gave him a hot chase.

Of course, with his colleagues left behind to exchange blows following his escape without a motion for adjournment, the House dispersed with the stalemate hanging as it were.

Again on October 31, 2000, Nigerians woke to be confronted with the news that riotous acts had marred the activities of the House of Representatives as the lawmakers exchanged blows with one another over an alleged N4 million bribe meant to facilitate the impeachment of then Speaker, Alhaji Ghali Umar Na’Abba.

The fight lasted for more than 30 minutes, and led to the stabbing of one of the members with cloths torn into shreds. Many others sustained bruises. It was also reported that seven members, five from the North and two others allegedly signed for N500,000 each for the action, and that attempts to calm the House after the ugly incident proved abortive as some members who christened themselves “anti-Na’Abba” boldly walked of the chamber demanding that Na’Abba step aside for probe. They had also vowed that no proceeding would be allowed in the House until their objective has been achieved.

Also on November 2, 2000,  the House members throw out by 182 votes to 76 a motion calling for the probe of House leadership resulting in a free-for-all fight.

Trouble allegedly started when the lower chamber of the National Assembly mandated its Ethics and Privileges Committee to investigate the allegation that the executive under President Olusegun Obasanjo had made available the sum of N500,000 to each member to induce them to remove Speaker Na’Abba. Some N4 million cash was tendered in the House as exhibit on that fateful day.

Expectedly, however, Presidential spokesman to President Obasanjo then, Dr. Doyin Okupe in reaction to the allegation, dismissed it as “cheap blackmail and melodrama”.

But in another twist, chairman of the House Committee on Anti-Corruption, National Ethics and Values then, Mr. Adams Jagaba told the House that he had evidence that the executive tried to induce some of the members with money to remove the speaker. Said he: “We gathered that the source of money is the president, channelled through the Presidential Liaison Officer (PLO) of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Esther Uduchi. Each member was given N500,000. “I want to tender the money as exhibit”.

Jagaba presented six bags popularly called “Ghana must go” before exhibiting their contents (N4 million) on the table bearing the mace, claiming that the money came from former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and former governor of Rivers State, Peter Odili.

Jagaba claimed that the money was received by Hons Yinkas Balminas, Dan-chuda Lawal, Bello Yaro, Josiah Gokun, Jubril Babangida and Mohammed Arzika, who in turn handed the money to him.

Speaking on the issue then, the deputy leader of the House, Mr. Mao Ohuabunwa  expressed shock at the development, and advised members that “It would be better for all of us to carry our bags and go home. How did this money come about?”.

To make matters worse, attempts by Jagaba to further clarify the issues led to pandemonium as pro and anti-Na’Abba members began to exchange hot blows from 10.30 a.m. – 12.25p.m. of that fateful day, as the speaker completely lost control of the House which gave room to a rowdy session.

Another incident was the drama of the contract scam in September, 2007, during the tenure of Nigeria’s first female Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Patricia Etteh.

On  September 20, 2007,  confusion and fracas had marred the sitting of the House of Representatives panel which investigated the contract award for the renovation of the Speaker’s (Etteh) official residence in Abuja.

It all began when Hon. Patricia Etteh was called to the witness box by the chairman of the panel investigating the matter, David Idoko. As Etteh made her way to the witness box, some members of the House who were loyal to her gave her a standing ovation.

Angered by the development, other lawmakers pushing for the probe let out invectives which eventually led to fisticuffs between the camps loyal to Etteh and those opposed to the award of the contract. In the midst of the confusion, security men led Etteh away from the over-crowded hearing room which led the panel to adjourn sitting abruptly without letting the people know what was next on its agenda.

The aforementioned incidents are by no means exhaustive, yet it would not be fair if the latest one that happened in June, 2010 is not given a mention.

On June 29, 2010, members of the lower chamber of the National Assembly engaged themselves, in a free-for-all fight.

The immediate cause of the fight among some of members was a motion which was moved to seek the invocation of Order 5(i) Sub Rule, 2 and 3 under matters of privilege in the House Rules with the aim of suspending some members for alleged misconduct.

However, the rest is history. But for how long would Nigerians continue to pretend that the conduct of our elected representatives, especially at the lower house should be their business and not that of other Nigerians?

I think that members of the National Assembly, including the Senate, states and local government assemblies who continue to relegate law making to the background, and engage in frivolous fights be sanctioned. In the final analysis, I suggest that each time this ugly incident occurs in the various houses across the land, those concerned should be sanctioned and the people of Nigeria made to know and understand that, at least, action has been taken so that those who really deserve to be called honourables are separated from the rest.