Reps protest as Speaker passes bill for 2nd reading despite ‘nay’ vote

An apparent ‘nay’ vote from the majority of Nigeria’s House of Representatives members was not enough to stop Speaker Yakubu Dogara from allowing a bill pass for second reading during Tuesday’s plenary of the lawmakers.

The lower chamber was considering a “bill for an Act to‎ establish the Chartered Institute of Mediators and Conciliators of Nigeria”, which has been passed by the Senate.

They had engaged in an extensive debate over the bill and to decide if it will be allowed for second reading or not, the Speaker had asked for a voice vote, but majority of the lawmakers apparently answered in the negative.

“Those in favour of the motion to read the bill for a second time, say aye, those against, say nay. The ayes have it,” Do‎gara said and then struck the gavel to pass the bill for a second reading when majority clearly had chorused ‘nay’.

In protest, lawmakers in the negative kept chorusing “nay, nay, nay,” but their nay was not enough to stop the Speaker.

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Meanwhile, the sponsors of the bill are of the argument that if allowed to become a law, the bill will help “determine standards of knowledge and skills to be attained by persons seeking to become registered members of the mediation and conciliation profession in Nigeria.”

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