By Ousman Saidykhan
In a dramatic turn of events on Monday, minority members of Parliament, mostly opposition lawmakers, walked out in a show of solidarity after Speaker Fabakary Tombing Jatta ordered Hon. Sulayman Saho of Central Badibou to leave the chamber.
The Speaker cited Saho’s “disorderly conduct” and “indiscipline” during the adjournment debate as the reasons for his expulsion.
“Honorable Member for Central Badibou, can you please withdraw from the chamber,” Speaker Jatta requested multiple times before directing the sergeant-at-arms to evict Saho.
The lawmaker initially resisted the order, stating he would not leave.
“Sergeant-at-arms, get the Member for Central Badibou out of the chambers or get a reinforcement to do so, please,” the Speaker reiterated.
This prompted the sergeant-at-arms to leave the chamber for assistance, but they returned with only one additional individual.
The incident led to heightened tensions within the Parliament, as minority members exited the chamber collectively to express their disapproval of the Speaker’s actions. The situation has raised questions about parliamentary decorum and the handling of disputes among lawmakers.
During the heated session in Parliament, members of the minority group formed a protective barrier around Hon. Sulayman Saho of Central Badibou, preventing the sergeant-at-arms from carrying out Speaker Fabakary Tombing Jatta’s orders.
Despite the sergeant-at-arms’ visible attempts to execute the Speaker’s directive, he was obstructed by Hon. Madi M.K Ceesay, Hon. Yahya Manteng Sanyang, Hon. Lamin Ceesay, and other members who stood in solidarity with Saho.
After more than 20 minutes of unsuccessful attempts to remove Saho and intense discussions about his conduct, the minority group ultimately decided to leave the chamber in a unified statement of support for their colleague.
Speaker Jatta had previously warned Saho about his behavior, stating, “Honorable Member for Central Badibou, you must learn to discipline yourself. You cannot be shouting at me here…sit down. If you misbehave again, I will call you to order, and I will unfortunately ask you to move.”
In response, Saho expressed his belief that the Speaker had been unfair in sustaining a “point of order” raised by Hon. Alagie Babou Ceesay of Sabach Sanjal. Ceesay claimed that Saho was causing disturbances while Hon. Amadou Camara of Nianija spoke, which he argued violated Standing Order 17(f).
Saho defended himself, stating, “You should have ruled out this. I expected you to rule out this. How can you say ‘sustain’ when this man has been drumming, and I have been quiet all along? You’re not fair to me. This man was drumming when Amadou spoke, and everybody could hear him. Is that not an interruption to the Parliament?”
The situation has sparked a broader debate about procedural fairness and the enforcement of parliamentary rules.
Speaker Jatta maintained that the Standing Order referenced by Hon. Alagie Babou Ceesay of Sabach Sanjal was applicable and accurate. He also emphasized the need for Hon. Sulayman Saho of Central Badibou to demonstrate self-discipline. “I will not tolerate these types of things anymore.”
In response, Saho disagreed, saying, “No, you’re not fair to me. How can I learn? You need to treat me well. If you want to be calm, you must treat me well.”
Following this exchange, the session continued after Hon. Saho and his minority colleagues chose to leave the chamber.
