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 Committee on Public Assets or the Committee on Commerce.
The dispute 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, the Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business, Hon. Francis Waive, raised a point of order, insisting that the matter 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. He insisted that the Lagos Trade Fair Complex, being federal property, naturally falls under their mandate.
“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 argued.
But Hon. Mark Esset (PDP, Akwa Ibom) opposed this view, 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,” Esset stated.
As tensions rose, Hon. Ali Isa J.C. (PDP, Gombe) urged members to exercise caution and adhere to the House rules. He suggested setting up a joint committee led by Commerce, with Public Assets and other relevant committees participating — a proposal that failed to receive a seconder.
Hon. Gaza Jonathan Gbefwi (SDP, Nasarawa) later supported the joint-committee idea but argued that Public Assets should take the lead, since the investigation concerns the ownership and potential 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 said.
Adding to the controversy, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Hon. James Shai Wubarka (PDP, Taraba), revealed that his committee had already conducted two oversight visits to the Lagos Trade Fair Complex on the same issue. Reassigning the matter to another committee, he warned, would amount to stripping Commerce of its oversight responsibility.
As the sessions 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 would conduct 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.
However, disagreements persisted.
When the motion was eventually put to a voice vote, lawmakers rejected it with a loud “nay,” triggering another round of uproar, as the presiding Deputy Speaker struggled to calm the chamber. The House later went into an executive session to address the lingering tensions.
