VIDEO: Jigawa lawmakers fight during plenary, destroy mace

An attempt to amend a standing rule in the Jigawa house of assembly, on Tuesday, led to fisticuffs among members and the eventual destruction of the mace.

The rowdy session started when the Speaker of the house, Isa Idris, announced a ‘decision’ to amend the house standing rule aimed at banning all impeached former assembly speakers and deputy speakers from vying for the position of speaker in subsequent assemblies.

The amended rule will also disqualify any principal officer who was suspended or impeached from re-contesting.

The decision faced stiff resist‎ance by some members allegedly working to unseat the current speaker and bring in a former impeached speaker, Idris Jahun. Mr Jahun was sacked from office about three years ago.

The crisis resulted in an exchange of vulgar words and throwing of punches, which eventually resulted in the breaking of the mace into three parts.

The member representing ‎Yankwashi, constituency, Abdulrahman Alkassim, led those opposing the proposed amendment.

Other members also supported the speaker’s position to ban the ex-speaker from being allowed to recontest.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that there has been an underground movement by some members to sack the present speaker and replace him with Mr Jahun.

See video of the violence here.