By Orkula Shaagee, Abuja

Last week Thursday, Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila announced the chairmen and deputy chairmen of 109 standing committees of the green chamber.

The committees, from all indications appear that Gbajabiamila is out to effect some changes in the way standing committees of the House of Representatives are usually constituted.

The announcement, which was generated mixed-feelings, saw some ranking members sidelined in the headship of the standing committees.

Political watchers believe the leadership of the standing committees was an indication that the pre-election squabble between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), a well as the Gbajabiamila camp and the ex-Speaker Yakubu Dogara camp was still alive.

Besides the failure of Gbajabiamila to honour some ranking lawmakers with committee chairmanship appointments, some standing committees which are the preserve of the south-south lawmakers were given to lawmakers from other regions.

For example, the committee on Petroleum Resources (downstream) is headed by Mahmud Abdullahi Gaiya (APC, Kano) instead of a southern lawmaker. Even the committee on Petroleum Resources (upstream) is chaired by Musa Sarki Adar (APC, Sokoto).

Similarly, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is now headed by Tunji Ojo instead of a lawmaker from the south-south.

The list shows that Gbajabiamila’s loyalists allegedly benefitted highest.

Shockingly, Abdulmumin Jibrin, who was the director general of the campaign organisation that assisted Gbajabiamila become speaker, was not named as head of any committee.

But political commentators still believe that the action of Gbajabiamila to leave of his close man in the headship of a standing committee was a clear way of departing from the past way of compensating friends after every election.

The speaker is also said to have disappointed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members in the House by reneging on his alleged promise to give the party at least 60 standing committees. The PDP got 21 positions as committee chairmen and 30 deputy slots.

Prominent among those who did not get the chairmanship position of any of the standing committees was immediate past Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and ex-minority leader of the chamber, Leo Ogor, lost out.

Also, a former chairman of the committee on public accounts, Hon Kingsley Chinda, and his counterpart in the committee on public petition, Hon Uzonma Nkem Abonta were among those that lost out.

It is believed that Chinda’s failure to get a standing committee chairmanship slot was because of his openly confrontation with Speaker Gbajabiamila for rejecting his nomination for Minority Leader position by the PDP leadrership.

It was observed that while some members jubilated over the announcement, others wore long faces. Some of them also approached the Speaker to shake hands with him while others either remained on their seats or left the chamber before adjournment.

It was also observed that while some states like Kano and Lagos got multiple chairmanship appointments, others like Rivers State, whose Governor Nyesom Wike is openly opposed to the APC-led government got only a vice-chairmanship position.

For the chairmanship positions, the ruling and majority All Progressives Congress got 80; Peoples Democratic Party, 21; All Progressives Grand Alliance, 2; Allied Peoples Movement, 1; and Action Alliance, 1.

For the 104 vice-chairmanship positions, the APC got 63; the PDP, 30; APGA, 3; the ADC, 3; the PRP, 2; the SDP, 1; the ADP, 1; and AA, 1.

Gbajabiamila’s speakership campaign organisation led by Mr Abdulmumin Jibrin had promised the PDP 60 committee leadership appointments.

Gbajabiamila, however, urged lawmakers who did not get any appointment to take it in good faith.

According to the list, Wale Raji (APC-Lagos) was named chairman, House Services; Abdulrazak Namdas, Committee on Army; Aliyu Betara (APC-Borno) as chairman Committee on Appropriations; while James Faleke (APC-Lagos) was named chairman, House Committee on Finance.

The speaker was said to have appealed to those who could not get standing committees to take it in good faith. The list showed that Wale Raji (APC-Lagos) is chairman, House Services; Hon Abdulrazak Namdas heads the committee on Army; Aliyu Betara (APC-Borno) heads the House committee on appropriations; Abiodun Faleke (APC-Lagos), committee on finance and Pascal Obi, committee on health institutions. Also, Luke Onofiok chairs the committee on federal judiciary; Akin Adeyemi, committee on communications; Jimi Benson as chairman, committee on Defence; Wole Oke (PDP-Osun), committee on public accounts while Abdullahi Bago (APC-Niger) who contested against Gbajabiamila is given the committee on African integration and cooperation. Hon Jerry Alagbaso was appointed as chairman, committee on public petitions; Nasir Daura, committee on interior; Aisha Dukku, committee on electoral matters; Yusuf Buba, committee on foreign affairs; Tunji Ojo, committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC); Tajudeen Abbas, committee on land transport; and Johnson Ogbuma, committee on environment. Hon Lynda Ikpeazu was given the committee on maritime administration and education; Mohammed Jega, committee on internally displaced persons; Jonathan Gaza, committee on legislative budget and research. Also, Hon Yusuf Kila is chairman, committee on customs; Hadija Bukar Ibrahim, committee on north east development commission; Munir Baba, committee on agricultural production and Adamu Faggae heads the committee on constituency outreach. Nicholas Mutu is chairman, committee on gas; Victor Nwokolo, committee on banking and currency; Bello Kumo, committee on police; Garba Datti, committee on ports and harbours; Ibrahim Babagida, committee on capital markets. Abubakar Ado heads the committee on information; Mustapha Dawaki is chairman committee on housing; Yemi Adaramodu, committee on youth development; Olumide Osoba, committee on sports; Abdullahi Salami, committee on poverty alleviation; Kabir Idris is chairman House committee on civil society; Femi Fakeye, committee on commerce; Ifeanyi Momah, committee on FCT judiciary; Abubakar Kabir, committee on works; Benjamin Kalu, committee on Media and Public Affairs; Nwokocha Darlington, committee on insurance.