POLITICS
Gbajabiamila’s Standing Committees of Change
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.
From Marcel Duru, Owerri
The Labour Party Candidate in the 2023 general elections for Mbaitoli-Ikeduru Federal Constituency, Rt Hon Uche Ogbuagu, has appreciated the party faithful in the area for their massive support for him, in last year’s general elections.Speaking during a special well attended Thank You Parley at his Akabo Ikeduru Country Home, the political Leader poured out his heartfelt appreciation to his supporters, who fought tooth and nail to ensure his electoral victory at the polls.
He explained that he did not abandon the mandate which the people freely gave to him but blamed the outcome on a few bad compromised elements who were bent on subverting the will of God and the people, maintaining that he has left Vengeance to the Almighty.According to Ogbuagu Uche Ogbuagu, he followed the right path as enshrined in the relevant laws of the land as he approached the court, the arbitrator and last Hope of the citizenry *from the tribunal to the Appellate Court.He assured his numerous supporters to keep faith alive as God still rules in the affairs of men and his faith in Christ Jesus remains unfazed.In the same vein he thanked God Almighty and the people of Mbaike, including the women and many others who accompanied him while he campaigned across the length and breadth of Mbaike.Many leaders of the party from the State, and across Mbaike which included His campaign Council Director General, Hon. Chris Egesimba, State Deputy woman leader, Chief Innocent Anukam the Chairman in Ikeduru, Chief Ifeanyi Aguocha, the Party Chairman in Mbaitoli, the Labour Party Candidate for Ikeduru State Constituency Hon. Engr Chuks Anaele and many other leaders,party executives from State,LGA and Wards,other stakeholders from all spheres attended the special event.Highlights of the events include the Observation of one minute silence in honour of departed LP Heroes in Mbaike and Exceptional Word Of Exhortation by Apostle Chiemela Rowland, which he titled ” Allow God to Avenge.”
By Johnson Eyiangho, Abuja
The Board of Trustee (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that the solutions to the leadership problems confronting the PDP are contained in its Constitution but are being stalled by deliberate litigations.Sen. Adolphus Wabara, the Chairman of the BoT, who stated this at the board’s 77th meeting yesterday, however, said the PDP needs to resolve the challenges in the best interest of the party and its members.
”It is incumbent upon us to resolve this matter with utmost urgency, guided by transparency, fairness, and the best interests of our party and its members,” Wabara said. He added, “Recalling the events that led to the ousting of the former Chairman of the Party in person of Senator Iyorchia Ayu, the current Acting Chairman has spent over a year in office whereas as the usual practice of the party, the region from whence the national officer hails from should have produced a viable candidate to complete the tenure of the former national officer.”Furthermore, the contentious issue surrounding the office of the National Secretary has regrettably sown seeds of discord within our party. The ambiguity surrounding this position has led to confusion and internal strife, hindering our collective efforts to pursue our noble objectives.”The solutions to these two challenges are clearly imbibed in our party’s constitution but deliberate litigations have made the application of these constitutional solutions impossible.”He said the BoT as leaders feel the pulse of Nigerians and particularly members of the party in their demand and quest for direction at this critical time in the life of the PDP and the nation.”Nigerians are currently passing through a perilous time and their earnest expectation is for us as a party to put our house in order and effectively lead the charge to rescue our nation from the stranglehold of the All-Progressives Congress (APC),” he said.He, therefore, said that the impending expiration of the Ward and Local Government Area executive structures of the PDP presented the party with the opportunity to reinvigorate and reposition for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.”The forthcoming congresses at various levels serve as a beacon of hope, offering us a platform to reaffirm our commitment to democratic ideals, grassroots participation, and inclusive governance. Let us seize this moment to embrace change, foster unity, and chart a course towards a brighter and more prosperous future for our party and our nation,” he said.In his remarks during the meeting, the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Amb. Iliya Damagum, said that in spite of the challenges confronting the party, it has been going about its activities, adding that consultations were ongoing to resolve them.Among members of the BoT in attendance at the meeting are Governor of Bauchi State, Sen. Bala Mohammed, former Governor of Kaduna State, Ahmed Makarfi and Secretary of the BoT, former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido and Senate Minority Leader, Sen. Abbah Moro.Others former Osun State Governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Sen. Ben Obi, former Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang, former Imo State Governor, Achike Udenwa, former Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, Josephine Anenih, Sen. Biodun Olujimi, Sen. Osita Ngwu and former Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswan.
By Ubong Ukpong, Abuja
The House of Representatives said it is working on plans to ensure financial autonomy for managers of nuclear energy centres in the country.Chairman, House Committee on Renewable Energy, Hon. Afam Victor Ogene called on personnel and nuclear scientists managing Nigeria’s nuclear research centres to make efforts to avoid any act of sabotage that could lead to adverse incidents that would jeopardize the security of the nation.
He assured them that the parliament is working towards ensuring that the Budget Office of the Federation “grant the two Centres of Excellence Financial Autonomy, by providing them with separate budget lines for Effective and Efficient discharge of their mandate. ”Ogene made this appeal on Thursday, April 18, 2024, in Abuja, when representatives of the two Centres met with the Committee on Renewable Energy, at the National Assembly, in continuation of the investigation into why the hazard and high-risk allowances, which was approved for the scientists in the two centres were withheld by the Budget Office, but ironically, allegedly, paid to civil servants in the employ of Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC), Abuja.The two Centres in question are the Centre for Energy Research and Training, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and Centre for Energy Research and Development, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile- Ife.While the Centre in Zaria, Kaduna state, hosts the nation’s only nuclear reactor, the Centre in Ile-Ife hosts nuclear Tandem Accelerator in addition to nuclear waste and other dreaded sources of radiation that must be handled with care.The management of the two high-risk centres had raised concerns over the impact of the non-payment of the deserved allowances to the morale of scientists at the two centres, who faced daily risks in managing the nation’s nuclear facilities, through a complaint letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abass Tajudeen, in January, 2024.They also raised concerns over the danger of a possible sabotage or avoidable nuclear accident as a result of the disillusionment of staff at the two centres over poor working conditions and lack of institutional support for their programmes.The Speaker subsequently directed the Committee on Renewable Energy to look into the challenges raised by the Centres.The representative of the Centres, Prof. Ganiyu I. Balogun, Prof. J.F.K Akinbami, Dr. Bashir M. Umar and Dr. M.B Katif, who spoke in turns, explained the challenges of the centres and how they have been trying to manage the situation in order to avert ugly nuclear incidents that could lead to serious international embarrassment.But Hon. Ogene, while appealing to them for calm, informed them about the efforts of the House to bring a lasting resolution to the identified challenges.Speaking further, he told them that the Committee found merit in their petition and have therefore made some recommendations, which include:”That the Rt. Honourable Speaker, do direct the Budget Office of the Federation, as well as the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to restore the Allowances under review.”Also, direct the Budget Office of the Federation to grant the two Centres of Excellence Financial Autonomy, by providing them with separate budget lines for Effective and Efficient discharge of their mandate.”Also that the various appeals by the Chairman/CEO, Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission, made on behalf of his staff, should be approved by virtue of the sensitive nature of the jobs they undertake.”That the National Income Salaries and Wages Commission be queried because of its negative role in the matter.”
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