Yakubu Dogara
Boycott inauguration of standing committees
Onyebuchi Ezigbo and Damilola Oyedele in Abuja 

Some aggrieved members of the House of Representatives on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) monday accused the Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, of declaring an outright war against the party and the presidency by ceding vital committee positions to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The group which calls itself as the “Loyalists Group” of APC federal lawmakers said only a reversal of the current composition of the House committees would assuage the feelings of members and serve the interest of Nigerians who are waiting for the APC change mentra.
Addressing journalists shortly after a meeting with the leadership of the party at the national secretariat in Abuja, the spokesman of the group, Hon. Musa Serikin Adar (APC Sokoto), said the decision of the Speaker to share the committees’ headship on a 50 -50 basic between the majority party APC and the minority parties was tantamount to depriving the ruling party of majority status in the National Assembly.
“The composition of headships of committees must be seen for what it is: a declaration of war against the APC and the Presidency - all calculated at sabotaging the majority advantage that APC enjoys, with ultimate aim of rolling back the electoral victory of our party,” he said.
Hada said the composition of chairmen and deputy chairmen of committees was clear manifestations of the marginalisation of the ruling APC.
He said under the seventh assembly headed by Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, the then majority party-PDP-got 63 out of 89 committees of the House which constituted 71 per cent share of the committee while the Minority parties (ACN, ANPP, CPC and others) got only 26 out of the 89 committees which underscoresed the fact that the minority got only 29 per cent share of the committees.
“Today where as APC has 50 per cent and the Opposition has 50 per cent, this is totally unacceptable to us, we came to inform the party that we are still loyal to the party and we call on the party to make sure that Yakubu Dogara reverse same for the benefit of the party and benefit of Nigerians.
“We should not forget that Nigerians voted PDP out of this country of their misrule, we cannot accept that and the party has clearly understood our position,” he said.
When asked about the position of the party’s leadership on the dispute, Adar said the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and other NWC members have decided to invite the Speaker to hear his own side of the issue.
The group which shares affinity with the House Majority Leader Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila stated that it is on record that Hon. Dogara has consistently taken the APC for granted on past occasions including his contempt for APC’s National Leadership when he spearheaded a boycott of the party’s plan to midwife a concensus arrangement for the emergence of the National Assembly principal officers.
Adar recalled that upon his emergence as Speaker, Dogara insisted on foisting his misguided and arrogant imposition of so-called ‘federal character’ in the Body of Principal Officers of the House, so as to frustrate the early stabilisation plan of the House as proposed by our party.
“Since climbing to the seat, Dogara has refused to belong properly to the APC House caucus, frustrating meetings, and, instead, romancing openly with PDP legislators, including holding clandestine meetings to plot the downfall of our party.
“In furtherance of this treachery, he has severally frustrated efforts by patriotic members who wanted to table salutary motions aimed at commending and encouraging Mr. President’s anti-corruption measures so far taken.
“ In the same vein, the Speaker has continued to suppress critical and dissenting voices from contributing in debates at plenary sessions, while shamelessly promoting the dominance of activities of the House by hostile, opposition elements.
“Instead of promoting unity in the house, he is recklessly pursuing the path of division along ethnic and faith lines.
“In pursuit of his tyrannical agenda, the Speaker has caused a motley crowd of his co-conspirators to amend the House Rules, to enable him suspend members at will and generally apply punitive measures to kill the well known vibrancy that has historically characterised the House of Representatives.”
Meanwhile, despite the criticisms that have trailed the appointment of leadership of the Standing Committees of the House of Representatives, the Speaker, Dogara yesterday inaugurated the 96 standing committees.
The Majority Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, was however absent from the special session for the inauguration.
He was listed on the order paper to move the motion for admittance of “invited guests into the chamber for the purpose of inauguration of the Special and the Standing Committees of the House.”
The Chief Whip, Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa, moved the motion in his stead. Gbajabiamila was also listed to deliver the welcome address, which was delivered by the Deputy House Leader, Hon. Jibrin Buba.
The Majority Leader had said he was not consulted in the appointments, and therefore sidelined. The Speaker’s camp has however maintained that while the prerogative over the appointments is statutorily the Speaker’s, he exercised it in consultation with all principal officers.
It remains unclear why the majority leader was absent, though THISDAY gathered that he was at a meeting at the secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Publicity, Hon. Jonathan Gaza, could not provide explanations for the absence of the majority leader especially as he was scheduled on the order paper.
“I do not know why he was absent, but I believe it was for a good cause,” he said. Gaza described as unfortunate, reports that some aggrieved members boycotted the inauguration, stating that Nigeria should be bigger than any individual.
“Time has been wasted on several things...when you walk into that chamber, its not about party anymore. We swore allegiance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, not to our respective parties, it is therefore about the progress of Nigeria. The wheel of governance is spinning and Nigeria would begin its upward move,” he said.
At the inauguration, President of the National Assembly and Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki in his address, said the House has set the stage for the practical implementation of its legislative agenda.
“We have to think fast to find solutions to problems as the highest law-making body in the land. We share similar vision of passing laws to ensure new regime of speedily dispatched issues for which we have common ground,” he said.
Meanwhile the Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara on Monday provided insight into why the House increased the number of standing committees from 90 to 97, explaining that it was necessary so committees can better oversight their agencies.
He cited the Committee on Education, which was split into Basic Education and Tertiary Education. The old committee was saddled with oversight on the budget and policy issues of 104 unity schools, 22 Federal Colleges of Education, 36 Federal. Universities and 24 Federal Polytechnics, in addition to the Ministry of Education and 25 agencies.
Others, such as the Committee on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) were created in response to contemporary demands.
“Splitting of committees has not resulted in increased cost of running the House. The committee clerks and other staff of the committees are sourced from the existing pool of staff that is paid salaries and allowances already by the National Assembly. The committee members are already paid salaries also by the National Assembly. No person gets an increased remuneration by virtue of appointment as a Committee member or chairman.
“The National Assembly budget has not been increased as a result. The situation in the legislature is slightly different from the situation in the executive branch where creating a new agency or ministry may lead to increased costs of running the offices,” he explained.
Delivering the keynote paper, former Speaker of the House, Hon. Chibudom Nwuche said no committee should be regarded as unimportant.
In his paper titled “The Role of Committees in Presidential System of Government” said “juicy committee is a misnomer, all committees are viable. No Committee is not juicy or un-important, all committees are important.”
The special session which started at 12.40p.m. had several former principal officers of the House including former Speakers, Hon. Agunwa Anikwe and Hon. Olubunmi Patricia Etteh, former Deputy Speaker, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha and former majority leader, Hon. Mulikat Adeola-Akande.
Other guests at the inauguration were Chief Justice of the Federation, Secretary to Government of the Federation, representatives of Service Chiefs, traditional rulers, and presidential liaison officers to the National Assembly.
This Day
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