THE House of Representatives has distinguished itself with the regular resort to the fist in resolving matters. This has become more regular since the life of the present assemblage in June 2007.

Filth is usually at the centre of the fights. In 2007, the House split into two major groups. One supported then Speaker Patricia Olubunmi Etteh in the alleged N628 million contract fraud and another opposed her leadership.

The fury of fists that ensued claimed Dr. Aminu Shu’aibu Safana, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Health, one of the main supporters of Mrs. Etteh. He died of cardiac arrest on 17 October 2007, while jumping on the floor, in support of Mrs. Etteh.

Dr. Safana, 46, a close associate of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, studied medicine at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, the Universities of Leeds and London. He was Secretary to Katsina State Government when Yar’Adua was governor.

Nobody was held responsible for the death, which was not even investigated. Dr. Safana’s death stopped the fraud allegations. The House got a new leadership, Etteh retained her seat and Nigerians waited for the next round of fights, over fraud or dissatisfaction of members with their welfare.

Last Tuesday another punch-up left one of the combatants with a broken hand, another with torn clothes. A female member was roughed up just because she insisted that House should follow its rules. Nobody died. The injured member is seeking redress in court.

Members were fighting over allegations that Speaker Sabaru Dimeji Bankole squandered the House’s capital vote of N9 billion. A two-year-old allegation of Bankole mismanaging N2.3 billion meant for purchase of cars has re-surfaced.

Ordinarily, we expected Bankole would produce proof of how he spent the money. As is the case with Nigerian leaders, he has planted himself above the fray with his publicists issuing statements that indicate his disinterest in accounting to the public.

A group pushing the allegations has presented petitions to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, as well as the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC.

Neither Bankole nor the members of the House have deemed it necessary to answer to these charges with any seriousness. Just like in the Etteh case, the resort to the prowess of the fist could resolve the allegations.

Lawmakers are not interested in ending the waste of public funds. They treat these issues as if the money in question belongs to them, to be spent at their pleasure. Does Nigeria ’s parliamentary code include fights during sessions?

The most pathetic part of this shame was some students on excursion to the parliament witnessed it. The children got lasting lessons watching the fight from the public gallery.

While we expect the EFFC and ICPC resolve these allegations, we are concerned about the quality of our leaders. How can lawmakers delight in lawlessness?

In most places, legislators (or leaders) who embrace corruption, lawlessness and project a negative image of their country have sealed their fate. It should not be different here.

The decay in the quality of the country’s politics is evident. The feuding legislators belong to a political party, which is playing deaf to the conduct of its members. They will not be disciplined, the same attitude adopted when Dr. Safana died in 2007.

A free and fair election would give Nigerians the chance to exclude lawless characters from office. If these legislators had any shame, they should resign on their own.