Loyalists may dump Gbajabiamila

Loyalists may dump Gbajabiamila
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By Our Reporter  on November 10, 2015 
• House committees inaugurated amid boycott
From Fred Itua and Kemi Yesufu, Abuja
THE raging war between the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and the House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, over composition of the Standing Commit- tees continued yesterday during inauguration.
As exclusively reported by Daily Sun yesterday, Gbajabiamila and his loyalists, who were allegedly sidelined during the com- position of the committee shunned the televised inauguration of the 96 committees.
Gbajabiamila, who had earlier told Daily Sun through his media aide, Mr. Olarewanju Smart, that he did not receive any official communication from the Speaker or the Clerk of the House for the ceremony, was countered by the Chief Whip, Hon. Ado Doguwa Alhassan.
Alhassan, who was one of the earlier supporters of Gbajabiamila in the days leading to the leadership election before his elevation to the position of the Chief Whip, said contrary to claims, principal officers were duly informed.
“I rise on behalf of other principal officers who were duly consulted before the event to support you. All the principal officers are religiously behind you, (Speaker),” the Kano-born Chief Whip said.
Meanwhile, indications emerged yesterday that the embattled Gbajabiamila may have been given a red card by a section of his aggrieved loyalists who are insisting that he resigns his position as House Leader.
Some lawmakers, who were appointed chairmen of committees, but still loosely maintain their loyalty to Gbajabiamila, told Daily Sun on the condition of anonymity that the Leader may be deserted soon if he does not soft- pedal on his strong opposi- tion to Dogara.
They said Gbajabiamila had approached them soon after the composition of the committees to resign their positions as chairmen in solidarity with him.
“We told him we were ready to tender our letters of resignation, but insisted that he should resign first as Leader of the House of Representatives. We are not against him, but if he wants us to resign, he should lead by example and resign first. Then we will all sign a joint letter and resign,” one of the law- makers from the Southwest spoke in confidence.
The Speaker has, however, defended the increase in the number of committees. He said the current realities made it impossible for few committees to oversee agencies of government effectively.
“Some commentators have decried the large number of committees asbeing unwieldy and not cost effective. This criticism, even though, apparently well-intentioned, missed the point. Experience gained from the operation of committees since 1999 shows that some committees’ functions and mandates are very wide indeed and cannot be effectively supervised and oversighted by a single committee,” he said.
Senate President Bukola Saraki, former Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihidioha, ex principal officers of the House among others, were present during the inauguration of the committees by Hon. Dogara.
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…Dogara working against Buhari – House Leader
• Insists on fresh committees
LEADER of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and his aggrieved l‎ oyalists yesterday accused Speaker Yakubu Dogara of working against the Change Agenda of the Buhari administration.
Addressing a Press conference at the national secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja, the law- makers also alleged that com- position of the committees was intended to sabotage the ruling APC.
“It is therefore, absolutely clear that Hon. Yakubu Dogara is, but a Fifth Columnist, an Agent provacateur committed to destabilizing the House on behalf of the powerful forces that have ruined Nigeria and brought us to the current sorry pass,” Gbajabiamila and his group said.
The lawmakers who were among those that boycotted yesterday’s inauguration of the 96 Standing Committees also said:‎ “The composition of chairmen and deputy chairmen of committees are clear manifestations of the marginalization of the ruling All Progressives Congress.
“Under the Seventh Assembly headed by Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, the then majority party – Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) got 63 out of 89 committees of the House which constituted 71% share of the committee while the minority parties (ACN, ANPP, CPC and others) got only 26 out of the 89 committees which underscores the fact that the minority got only 29% share of the committees.
“Unfortunately, under Speaker Yakubu Dogara, the majority party – APC got 50% share of committees, same with the PDP and other minority parties which equally got 50%. No legislature in the world had ever shared committees on 50:50 basis between the majority and minority par- ties.
“There must be a clear-cut margin between majority and minority parties as was done in previous assemblies. Worthy to note that, in the U.S Congress, the current majority party (Re- publicans) enjoy 100% committee chairmanship allocations while the minority party (Democrats) is only considered for deputies and also many African parliaments do not share same equally,” he said.