The Kwara State House of Assembly witnessed yet another day of rage penultimate Thursday as the Deputy Speaker, Prof. Issa Gana, walked out Hon. Ibrahim Baakini from the hallow chambers of the Assembly. E-Kwara reliably learnt that trouble started when Hon. Umar Aliyu Monde who represents Gwanabe/Adena/Bani/Gweria constituencies in the House made some uncomplimentary remarks about Ilorin and its indigenes while contributing to the debate on a private member bill which seeks to regulate the haphazard location and spread of local markets in the state.
While making his submission, Hon. Monde had alluded to the fact that attempts had been made in the past to control the spread of markets in the state but such attempts had always been met with stiff resistance by the Emir of Ilorin. He frowned at a situation whereby laudable policies of government are killed on the halter of sentiments and politics. Not done, Hon. Monde allegedly claimed that if the latest attempt at amending the law was expected to be successful, then the ‘Ilorin people’ and the Emir have to be properly ‘sensitized’.
At this point, it was obvious that some members, especially those of Ilorin extraction, were no longer comfortable with Monde’s remarks which they considered ‘insulting’ and ‘disrespectful’ of the ‘referred traditional institution of the Emir’.
One member whose blood had obviously reached a tipping point was Hon. Abdulfatai Salman Baakini who, unable to control his anger, furiously flared up and charged at his colleague. Baakini, who represents Ilorin North/West in the House, thereby asked the Deputy Speaker, who presided over the House in the absence of the House’s Speaker, Hon. Abdrasak Atunwa, to caution Hon. Monde from making further ‘inflammatory and disparaging remarks’ against the Emir and Ilorin.
Not one to be bullied by an ordinary member of the House, Prof Gana firmly ordered Hon Baakini to ‘sit down’ since he had not been observed to talk. But when the Deputy Speaker realized that Baakini would not bulge, he threatened to walk out Baakini from the House, a threat he later carried out. Undaunted, Baakini angrily reached for a few items on his table and dashed out of the House’s chamber.
It is yet unclear why Hon Baakini behaved so unruly, but sources close to the House revealed the no-love lost relationship among members in the House. Our source, who craved anonymity for fear of being witch hunted, disclosed that the ranks of members who are disgruntled against the leadership of the House, especially Mr. Rasak Atunwa, is swelling by the day. “A lot of members are disillusioned and aggrieved against the Hon Rasak Atunwa-led House of Assembly. They have been making muted complaints against Atunwa’s handling of the House’s finances but dare not voice out, else they get the ‘Hon Ibrahim Liasu’s treatment”, our source hinted. ‘They also have personal differences among themselves. Ordinarily you wouldn’t expect to put twenty four politicians in a single room without experiencing some skirmishes. So I won’t be surprised if the sad event of Thursday was a manifestation of already pent-up anger among members of the House.”
It will be recall that one Hon. Liasu Ibrahim, who represents Oloru/Malete/Ipaye constituencies, had early this year leveled several allegations of financial impropriety against the Messrs Rasak Atunwa-led leadership of the House. The weighty allegations, which were substantiated with documents, were never allowed to see the light the day, as the leader of the new PDP in the state and elsewhere Governor of Kwara State, Dr. Bukola Saraki, reportedly looked the other way while the money was allegedly being looted.
But in an ironic twist, the House leadership, with active support of the ruling Party, turned the table against the petitioner, Hon Liasu and accused him of insubordination. It was on the weight of this that Liasu was slammed with a three months suspension from the House which ended in August this year. He was also brazenly stripped of his Chief Whip position on 12th May, 2012. Even after he had served his punishment, Mr. Atunwa has reportedly continued to show hostility to Liasu. It was in a bid to ward off this ill-treatment that Hon. Liasu shamefully prostrated flat for Sen. Bukola Saraki and sought for ‘forgiveness’. Insider sources revealed how Liasu was thoroughly humiliated as Bukola Saraki placed his foot on Liasu’s head and was pinning it to the ground.
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