A heated argument broke out on the floor of the House of Representatives on Tuesday over which committee has the mandate to investigate the alleged irregular allocation and management of the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex.
The disagreement was between the Committee on Public Assets and the Committee on Commerce, both laying claim to oversight jurisdiction on the matter.
The commotion followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by Hon. Ademorin Kuye, who called for a probe into the alleged illegal sale of government assets at the Trade Fair Complex. In his motion, Kuye proposed that the House Committee on Public Assets should conduct the investigation.
However, Hon. Francis Waive, Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business, raised a point of order, insisting that the issue constitutionally falls under the jurisdiction of the Committee on Commerce.
His intervention triggered a prolonged debate as lawmakers disagreed on which committee should spearhead the probe.
Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi (APC, Plateau) cited Order 109, Rules 1 and 2 of the House Standing Rules, arguing that the Public Assets Committee oversees all government properties, including those within and outside Nigeria.
“If you check Order 109, it clearly states that the Committee on Public Assets oversees ministries and agencies charged with the management and disposal of public assets. The Lagos Trade Fair is one of such assets,” Gagdi said.
But Hon. Mark Esset (PDP, Akwa Ibom) countered, maintaining that trade fairs are listed under the jurisdiction of the Committee on Commerce.
“Trade fair is not a public asset being sold. It is a commercial entity, and the House Rules on page 153 clearly list it under the functions of the Committee on Commerce. If the House has made a mistake by its earlier decision, we have the powers to reverse it,” he stated.
As tensions rose, Hon. Ali Isa J.C. (PDP, Gombe) urged members to exercise caution and adhere strictly to the House rules. He proposed setting up a joint committee led by Commerce, with Public Assets and other relevant committees participating — but the motion failed to get a seconder.
Hon. Gaza Jonathan Gbefwi (SDP, Nasarawa) later backed the idea of a joint panel but insisted that Public Assets should take the lead since the investigation concerns ownership and possible sale of federal property.
“Since it has to do with the premises and land, which are federal assets, Public Assets should lead the investigation, while Commerce can support since the activities there relate to trade fairs,” he argued.
Adding to the controversy, Hon. James Shai Wubarka (PDP, Taraba), Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Commerce, disclosed that his committee had already carried out two oversight visits to the Lagos Trade Fair Complex on the same issue. Reassigning the matter, he warned, would amount to stripping Commerce of its oversight responsibility.
As the session grew rowdy, the Speaker intervened to restore order, clarifying that the motion focused on the allocation of premises where trade fair activities take place, not the commercial activities themselves.
To resolve the impasse, the Speaker ruled that an ad hoc committee comprising members of both Public Assets and Commerce Committees should handle the investigation.
“It’s only an investigation. To bridge the divide between both committees, we will have an ad hoc committee involving members from both sides to handle it,” the Speaker ruled.
Despite the ruling, disagreements persisted. When the motion was put to a voice vote, lawmakers rejected it with a loud “nay,” leading to another round of uproar. The Deputy Speaker struggled to calm the chamber before the House eventually went into an executive session to address the lingering tensions.
