A member of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Maureen Chinwe Gwacham, who represents Oyi/Ayamelum Federal Constituency, has addressed a viral video showing her seconding a motion on the House floor without being able to explain its content.
The footage, which circulated widely on social media, sparked public debate over lawmakers’ preparedness during plenary sessions.
The video showed Gwacham rising to second a motion but appearing uncertain when asked to elaborate on it. Consequently, the clip triggered online bashing and renewed scrutiny of legislative procedures in the National Assembly.
In response, Gwacham issued a detailed explanation of the circumstances surrounding the incident and said she was not fully briefed before being called upon.
“I was caught off guard during plenary,” she said.
“I had just settled into my seat when the Speaker called on me to second the motion without prior briefing.”
According to her statement, the motion was sponsored by Muktar Tolani Shagaya and focused on improving emergency medical response systems across Nigeria’s public institutions.
Motion Context And Legislative Process
The motion in question called for the deployment of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in public facilities to reduce preventable deaths caused by cardiac emergencies.
Meanwhile, Gwacham clarified that her decision to second the motion was based on trust in the sponsor rather than detailed prior knowledge of its content.
“I seconded the motion based on confidence in the sponsor’s credibility,” she explained.
Her clarification comes as public attention continues to grow around how motions are processed and communicated within legislative chambers.
Furthermore, the viral clip has led many to question the thoroughness and legislative diligence involved in lawmaking in this country, especially for motions requiring technical understanding.
My goodness, what is this nau?
— OurFaveOnlineDoc 🇬🇧 🇳🇬 (@OurFavOnlineDoc) April 10, 2026
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However, Gwacham maintained that the incident did not reflect her commitment to parliamentary duties or constituency representation.
“I remain fully committed to my responsibilities to my constituency and the National Assembly,” she said.
She also thanked constituents who reached out following the circulation of the video, describing their concern as meaningful.
Meanwhile, the video has continued to circulate online.
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