A slight drama played out on the floor of the House of Representatives as lawmakers resolved to conduct an inquiry into the activities of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) as well as the recent Ibadan-Lagos train fuel incident with a view to address inefficiencies in the railway sector.
The Minority Leader of the House, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu (PDP, Delta) who sponsored the motion of urgent national importance had expressed concern over the inefficiency in the management of NRC which came into existence 112 years ago for the purposes of easy and cheap movement of bulk goods and commuters from hinterlands to seaports.
Elumelu while noting that the agency is under the supervision of the Ministry of Transport, said the House was aware that in recent times, there had been series of media reports on how passenger trains broke down in the middle of nowhere over lack of maintenance, thereby subjecting commuters to possible attacks by hoodlums and armed robbers who could brutalise, maim and cart away hard earned monies and goods of innocent Nigerians.
He recalled the sad episode of Thursday, March 11, 2022, where a train conveying passengers and goods from Lagos to Ibadan came to a halt midway due to insufficient fuel, once again endangering the lives of innocent Nigerian travellers on the trip.
Elumelu argued that for a train to leave the station with insufficient fuel only to get stuck midway into the journey with traumatised and stranded passengers, was a huge national embarrassment, “which not only makes our nation a laughing stock in the eyes of the international community but a complete system failure.”
Elumelu while describing as laughable the excuse by Managing Director of NRC, Fidelis Okhiria, also complained about the House not receiving frequent update from the Committee Chairman on Railway, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas.
He warned that if the, “irresponsible and careless act by the NRC is not effectively tackled and nipped at the bud, it may one day lead to a major disaster where innocent Nigerians will end up losing their lives, hence the need for this motion.”
Shortly after moving his motion, Elumelu’s deputy, Hon. Toby Okechukwu, in his contribution said the motion was important as it involved the lives of Nigerians, saying, “if prudent and deliberate efforts is not made, to forestall such situations occurring, lives will be exposed to danger.”
Interjecting, the House Leader, Hon. Ado Doguwa was of the view that the motion was investigative and straightforward, hence Okechukwu’s contribution should be suspended as it is dilatory.
Reacting, the Speaker Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila faulted his assertion saying that investigative motions could be debated, “so that members can air their views.”
Gbajabiamila added: “I disagree with you, Doguwa. What I know is that infrastructural motions are not debated. But we debate investigative motions in this house all the time. The fact that the mover of the motion said it’s straightforward, that’s his own opinion.
“To other people in the House, it may not be straight forward. There might be other people that want to oppose the motion. So if we lay a precedence that somebody brings an investigative motion and you say it’s straightforward then exclude others from speaking then it’s dangerous precedence.”
But, Doguwa maintained his stance, describing the Deputy Minority Leader, Okechukwu as a messenger of doom.
He hinged his assertion on the comment made by Okechukwu during the debate on scarcity of aviation fuel, during which he had expressed concerns about aircraft crashing due to lack of fuel.
Doguwa said, “Mr. Speaker I stand guided, Okechukwu is being dilatory because this is someone trying to be like a messenger of doom. Giving us stories about aircraft crash, how can you be a messenger of doom. The example he gave about aircraft in the air loosing fuel to crash is like messenger of doom.”
Gbajabiamila, thereafter called Okechukwu to give his right of reply.
Responding, Okechukwu emphasised that his contribution to the motion was necessary, given the amount of money the country borrowed from China to build that railway.
The House however resolved for a status enquiry on the operations of Nigerian Railway Corporation and report back to it in four weeks.
His amendment was thereafter put to a voice vote by the Speaker, and it was adopted by the lawmakers.
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