As NASS resumes tomorrow, debates legislative agenda
Members of the National Assembly will reconvene tomorrow after a two-week recess and commence debate on its legislative agenda. This is as the scramble for principal offices of the House of Representatives between the supporters of Speaker Yakubu Dogara and his opponent, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has heightened.
New Telegraph gathered that while the All Progressives Congress (APC) hierarchy has chosen Gbajabiamila who lost the speakership to Dogara as the Majority Leader, supporters of the speaker are kicking against the choice. One of the few lawmakers from the North-West, who supported Dogara told New Telegraph on condition of anonymity that the party has chosen Gbajabiamila as the Majority Leader but they (Dogara’s loyalists) are not comfortable with the choice. He posited that ceding the position of House Leader to Gbajabiamila from the South-West would amount to “injustice” to other geopolitical zones that are yet to get any key position in either of the chambers of the National Assembly. According to him, “we appreciate the position of the party to preferred Hon. Femi (Gbajabiamila) to any other candidate as House Leader.
We know it is for compensation but to us (Dogara’s camp) this is not about an individual but national interest. “The deputy speaker, Hon. Yusuff Lasun, is from the South-West, so how can the House Leader go to the South-West too? Now let’s look at it; the North-West has nothing so far both in the Senate and the House, yet it is the zone that gave our party (APC) the highest votes. Is that fair?” he asked. The two-time lawmaker argued that ordinarily, Gbajabiamila is a competent and good material to lead the APC but it is not politically expedient to “short-change” other zones in order to satisfy some individuals.
“To be sincere with you, Femi (Gbajabiamila) is a very competent lawmaker; he is a good material to be the face of our party in the House and he is hardworking. But the South- West where Femi comes from has already gotten deputy speaker. So, will it be morally right to again give them leader. “What we are saying is that the sharing of positions is not about individuals but about the people. So, the party too need to be guided.
But we are talking and I believe we will reach a compromise and the right thing will be done,” he disclosed. But a fresh member from one of the North Central states cautioned that the Speaker should avoid “politics of winner takes all” for such an arrangement will not augur well for his leadership. In a chat with New Telegraph, the lawmaker said it will be tantamount to confronting the party leader for the second time in a succession for Speaker Dogara to reject Gbajabiamila as leader. New Telegraph investigation, however, revealed that the scramble is not only for the position of House Leader but virtually all the principal positions.
In a related development, the House will tomorrow commence debate on the 8th Assembly Legislative Agenda. Meanwhile, as the Senate resumes plenary tomorrow from its twoweek break, issues such as the contentious Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), constitution review and the legislative agenda of the 8th Senate will top agenda. Senate President Bukola Saraki had, before the Senate embarked on recess, consistently told Nigerians that the PIB would be given priority attention by the 8th Senate under his leadership.
He also assured that the Fourth Alteration Bill to the 1999 Constitution, which was passed by the 7th Senate but did not receive the assent of former President Goodluck Jonathan would start receiving legislative attention in the Upper Chamber. Moreover, Saraki, who is yet to unfold the legislative agenda, which will guide and direct the activities of the Senate will likely do so on resumption, in accordance with his earlier promise before the Chamber went on the short break.
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