VICTOR OLUWASEGUN and DELE ANOFI examine the politics of the House of Representatives Committee composition and how it has generated bitterness between members of the ruling and opposition parties.
In a war, would you hand your loaded gun to an injured enemy soldier on the battle front?
That is exactly what Yakubu Dogara, Speaker of the House of Representatives, has done with the list Committee Chairmen and Deputies he released last month.
From the onset, the foundation had been flawed when the All Progressives Congress (APC) gleefully announced that it was not going to zone the leadership positions in the National Assembly after the general elections. To some, that decision was borne out of profound naivety.
The pronouncement set the stage for the confusion and acrimony that characterised the speakership election campaign in the House, which culminated in the emergency of Dogara as the Speaker, after defeating Femi Gbajabiamila.
The party lost out and is still losing out, and will continue to lose out till the 8th National Assembly wounds down. It is a reality that is staring the APC in the face. Party leaders know it, everyone knows it. And the PDP members in the House are clinking wine glasses over it.
The effect of the hard-earned, but badly managed victory of the APC in the presidential and National Assembly elections is still reverberating. The effect is more poignant in the House of Representatives.
That Dogara depended on the votes of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to clinch the Speakership was seen as desperation by some, but in politics, the end justifies the means, others argued.
The ACN, which transmuted to the APC, was the power behind the success of Speaker Waziri Tambuwal’s bid in the 7th House, against Mulikat Akande- Adeola, the choice candidate of his then party, the PDP.
The table has turned full circle- for the APC.
To whom much is given, much is expected. Dogara, no doubt, has performed in keeping his promises to the PDP for their good work during the elections. But, the scale of the payback was astounding to the APC members in the House who are howling foul over the recent choice of committee Chairmen.
At the last count, 48 committees chairmanship slots were given to the APC while the PDP members got 46.
But, many said the committees that would have enabled the change mantra of President Muhammadu Buhari come to fruition have been handed to the opposition. The fight against corruption has been compromised by Dogara’s action, angry lawmaker said.
APC members are questioning, for instance, why some committees essential to developing the country, checkmating corruption and driving the change agenda are in the hands of PDP members.
According to the lawmakers, the APC in the House of Representatives has moved from opposition in the 7th House to opposition in the 8th House in spite of the majority party status it holds.
The committees in the hands of PDP members include Power, Aviation, Environment and Habitat, Science and Technology, Works, FERMA, Foreign Affairs, Petroleum Resources ( Upstream), Petroleum Resources (Downstream) and Gas Resources
Other important committees also in opposition’s hands are: Army, Airforce, Banking and Currency, Capital Market and Institutions, Commerce, Cooperation and Integration in Africa,, Diaspora Matters, Information, National Orientation, Ethics and Values, Inter Parliamentary Relations, Legislative Budget and Research, Niger Delta Development amongst others.
PDP members sitting on these committees, having the power of appropriation over them and the opportunity to block, twist or derail investigations referred to their committees.
The committees that should investigate the wanton theft in the NNPC under the past administration, the profligacy that characterized projects in the power sector, the stealing and shenanigans that accompanied the purchase of equipment for the armed forces, the missing trillions in the LNG payments to the Federation Account and myriads of other investigations by the House are going to be presided over by those in the party that perpetuated the vices.
It is the same scary situation with the investigation into the multi-billion naira airport rehabilitation project. The Committee saddled with that responsibility is in the hands of PDP. Likewise a failed N430b Lagos road construction project was to be investigated by a PDP-led Works Committee.
What better way is there to espouse corruption and shield perpetrators than to put their kins atop the probes. What was Dogara thinking?
A member, Oyewole Diya said, its a coup against the House, the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari and the good people of Nigeria who filed out to vote for change.
Did Dogara goof in committee choices? Yes, many members said. In fact, they affirmed that as the head of the select committee. he made one of the most embarrassing goofs since he became Speaker by emasculating APC in the committee lineup. Many APC members have alleged that Dogara is a PDP soul and flesh wrapped in an APC flag. Otherwise, they said, why would anyone, even the most apathetic APC member, want to shove the neck of the party he belongs under the opponent’s guillotine?
Hon. Garba Mohammed Datti, who resigned his position as Chairman of the House Committee on Solid Minerals, warned that, with what Dogara has done, not much would be achieved by the APC’s change agenda as all the instruments to achieve such in the House are in the hands of people that have brought the country to its knees in the last 16 years.
He said: “You cannot as a party give all the sensitive committees to your opponent. It you can recall of the National Publicity Secretary to PDP, Olise Metuh, came out to say that all the members of the PDP should brace up and oppose this government.
