Tag: House

Some members of the House of Representatives are up in arms against the new House Rules in the Green Chamber. In this report, Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu and Victor Oluwasegun in Abuja, report on the hidden issues behind the rumbles

Power intrigues in the House of Representatives, which has been on since the emergence of the Hon. Yakubu Dogara-led leadership, was reawakened early recently when 11 members of the House dragged the Speaker, Hon Yakubu Dogara, the House and its clerk, Mohammed Sani Omolori, before an Abuja High Court over the new House Rules.

It would be recalled that on Tuesday, October 8, 2015, the House adopted the report of an ad-hoc committee assigned to review the House Standing Orders, 2011 edition.

The new rules, amongst others, invested the Speaker with the powers to suspend any member that approaches the Mace, the symbol of authority in the House, with whatever intent.

It also provides the Speaker the power to suspend a member for 30 plenary days for failing to obey the presiding officer’s directive to a lawmaker to assume his seat during plenary.

In the originating summons filed before the court by the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Ahmed Bello Mahmud, dated December 14, 2015, the 11 lawmakers, led by Hon. Aliyu Sani Madaki (APC, Kano), sought 12 reliefs from the court.

They are praying the High Court in Abuja to declare “null and void and of no effect whatsoever” the amendment of Order X, Rule 71 (10), Order 71 ( 14 &15) and the retention of OrderX, Rule 72 ( a- d) by the House of Representatives in its proceedings of 8th October, 2015 without calling for a division as required by Order X1, Rule 77(1) of the extant Standing Orders of the House and demanded by the eleven members.

According to them, “the provisions of Order X, Rule 71(12) depriving a suspended member of his salary or allowance during the period of suspension is unlawful, illegal, unconstitutional” and should be declared null and void by the court.

Amongst other declarations they were seeking in the court include: “a declaration that the Estes powers in the 1st Defendant (Speaker) to present a proposal to the 2nd defendant (House of Representatives) for the suspension of any member of the House, including any or all of the plaintiffs, without debate, argument and amendment, as provided by Order X, Rule 75(1) of the advancing Orders of the 2nd Defendant is repressive, susceptible to abuse and breaches the constitutional rights of the plaintiffs to the freedoms of speech, assembly and fair hearing, and their legislative privileges as guaranteed by law.

” A declaration that the purported powers vested in the defendants jointly or severally in the proceedings if the 2nd defendant, including any or all of the plaintiffs, from the service of the House for periods not exceeding 30 plenary days or for the remainder of the session, or not less than six months, or for such longer period as the Speaker or Chairman  may consider expedient, or to adjourn the a house for a session in circumstances which the 1st defendant considers to be of grave disorder, is repressive arbitrary, illegal, unconstitutional and violates Sections 60, 62 and 68 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria ( as amended).

” that the purported power vested in the defendants jointly or severally to suspend any member of the 2nd defendants including any or all of the Plaintiffs from the service of the House for various periods under Order X, Rules71(6), Order X, Rule 71(10), Order X, Rule 71(14&15) and Order X, Rule 72 ( a- d) or any other Order or rule of the Syamding Order of the 2nd defendant is illegal and unconstitutional for violating the fundamental rights of the plaintiffs to the freedom of expression guaranteed under under section 36 of the 1999 constitution as amended.”

The eleven members are also seeking an interim injunction “restraining the defendants jointly and severally in themselves or through their officers, servants, agents, privies whatsoever and however from exercising or carrying out any, part of or all of the purported amendments and or retention of powers vested by the proceedings of the 2nd defendant and of the 8th day of October, 2015 pending the determination of the interlocutory injunction herein.”

Although the protesting lawmakers did not say so directly, some of their supporters have alleged that the new rule was an authoritarian response to the acrimony that followed the June 9th Speakership election in which Dogara won. The rules, they alleged, is a desperate attempt to safeguard Dogara from perceived foes, particularly those in the camp of Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila who contested the position against him.

For a while after the election, there were stringent cries of disagreement which grew to a crescendo after the release of the list of chairmen of standing committees which were perceived a lopsided with members of the People’s Democratic Party in the House getting good committees as opposed to the APC.

The rules were seen as a vengeful sword waiting to descend on members opposed to the new Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, hence the move against it.

Apart from Madaki, other lawmakers in the suit are: Aminu Ibrahim Malle (APC, Taraba); Sunday Adepoju (APC, Oyo); Ahmed Babba Kaita (APC, Katsina); Philip Shuaibu (APC, Edo); Abubakar Chika Adamu (APC, Niger), Mohammed Musa Soba (APC, Kaduna); Yusuf Bala Ikara (APC, Kaduna); Abubakar Lado Suleja (APC, Niger) and Lawal Yahaya Gumau (APC, Bauchi); Rotimi Agunsoye (APC, Lagos);

Their lawyer Ahmed Bello Mahmud in the summons dated December 14, 2015, urged the court to declare the new Standing Orders null and void as it contravenes the provisions of the constitution.

Since the matter was formally brought to court, there have been differing views both on the real intent of the legal action and viability of the move. While some argues that the lawmakers erred by taking what should be an internal matter within the hallowed chambers to court, others said the court remained the final arbiter open to every Nigerian that feels oppressed.

Dr Sony Ajala, a legal practitioner in Abuja, told The Nation that this should not be a matter for the court. According to him, House Rule is expected to regulate the behavior and actions of the members within the chamber. From the legal perspective, he said, if the resolution that led to the new rule was passed in accordance with the relevant laws, it would amount to a waste of time to challenge it in court. “The court can only adjudicate when the action, the procedure adopted to pass the new rules is in breach of its own rules.”

For Hon. Idris Kosoko, an APC chieftain and former Chairman, Science and Technology Committee in the House of Representatives who represented Badagry Federal Constituency, in his reaction, also frowned at the move to drag the matter to court. He told The Nation that “House Rules are meant to govern, checkmate, direct and control the behavour of lawmakers. This being the case, I do not see why anybody should go and challenge the adoption of the New Rules in court. We have three arms of government and the three are independent. Going to court over an internal matter will not help matters because the concept of House Rule is to achieve internal control. We cannot continue to allow our lawmakers behave anyhow they like. I suggest that some of the honourable members would need to take another look at the dictionary definition of the word honourable and compare it with their behavours even at the hallowed chamber.”

However, in defence of the action, Hon. Aliyu Madaki (APC Kano), who spearheaded the move told The Nation that the New Rule is unconstitutional and should be declared null and void. “There is no organisation, society or government body that will work without rules and regulations guiding it. In the House, we have our rules book. What we are contesting in court is that the rules were changed and it is our belief that the way and manner the rules were changed, the procedures of changing the rules were not followed. Not only that, it is also our contention that some undemocratic things have been put into the new rules,” he said.

The controversy continues even as some observers insist the rumble is remotely connected to the power struggle that dates back to the sudden emergence of Dogara as the Speaker of the House. Others feared that the development may be a prelude to a fresh crisis in the House. But according to Dr. Ajala, “I do not see what is happening as crisis, I see it instead as part of the usual struggle for power and control.”

Given what is at stake for the combatants, tomorrow’s governorship election in Kogi State is significant in many respects. It is a litmus test for the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu. The election is also the first major battle between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) since the last general elections that routed the latter out of power at the centre and in most of the states in the North. Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU, Deputy Political Editor RAYMOND MORDI and Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN examine the factors that will shape the contest and what the two major parties are doing to remain relevant. 

Tomorrow’s governorship election in Kogi State is very crucial to both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Although about 14 political parties are in the race to occupy the Kogi State Government House, nicknamed Lord Luggard House, analysts believe it will be a straight fight between the APC and the PDP. According to them, other parties exist only on paper; they were not active in the campaigns or town hall meetings and many people do not know their programmes.

As one of the last strongholds of the PDP in the North, it is a must win for the party, if it must remain relevant in that region. The poll will once again put to test the strength of the PDP, which suffered defeat in the hands of APC during the last presidential and National Assembly elections. To observers, the contest will be a keen one, given the profound changes occurring in the political arena and the twist in the conscience of Kogi people, which they said, would thwart the machinations of candidates or political parties that rely on primordial factors for victory.

 

APC seeking to seal its popularity

 The poll will afford the APC the opportunity to prove that its victory during the general elections was not a fluke. In the election, despite being in opposition, APC won about 75 per cent of the votes in the presidential election, three senatorial seats and six House of Representatives seats. The high point of the APC performance was that Governor Idris Wada lost all seats in his local government.

The APC will want to prove its popularity and acceptability in the poll and to prove that it is on ground. The party has every reason to retrieve Kogi from PDP because the APC candidate, Prince Audu Abubakar, won the governorship election in 1999 on the platform of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), one of the legacy parties that transformed into the APC. Beside, the fact that Kogi is the only state in opposition in the North-central will galvanise the APC leaders to work hard for victory so that the state will be on the same page with the Federal Government.

APC stalwart Umar Okehi told our correspondent that “the result of the presidential election is a proof that APC will win in Kogi. The so-called incumbency factor has no role to play in this election. Governor Wada and his party, the PDP, are aware that they have lost this election, he said

“Every day we are receiving PDP defectors in our party. The last straw that broke the camel’s back was the defection of Isah Jibrin Echocho and his teeming supporters. He was a formidable opponent of Wada in the PDP primary. Echocho was rigged out of the primary.  The son of the former Governor Ibrahim Idris, Mohammed is now in APC. Ecocho decided to join the winning party and he has vowed to ensure APC victory at the poll.”

Critics say many PDP defectors may likely return, if they fail to realise their ambition in APC. But, the APC chairman, Alhaji Hadi Amentur, said those who dumped the PDP did so on conviction that the party has proved its gross inability to impact on the lives of our people. We approach disgruntled PDP members to swell the ranks of our party, which is working out for us. Echocho is spearheading the exercise across the local government because he believes in what APC stands for.

“APC in Kogi is not relenting on its presidential and National Assembly results, we will continue to deplete the PDP members until the day of election. The people are tired of the PDP and they desire change which the APC represents. The PDP cannot boast of any achievement, despite being in power in the last 12 years. This is a plus for the APC . People want development and not hopelessness. The people are yearning for change and that change will come through the APC. The people cannot afford to make another mistake in this election because it would be another opportunity to ensure development of the state.

“In the Northcentral zone, only Kogi is being controlled by the PDP. If other states in this zone that formerly belonged to the PDP are now APC, why not Kogi? We want the wind of change blowing across the nation in Kogi. We don’t want to be ruled by a party that has no plan for the common people. We will not relent on our oars as we are heading for victory on Saturday. We want to liberate our people from the shackles of oppression and impunity.

 

One of PDP’s last northern strongholds

Governor Wada said he was seeking re-election to consolidate his achievements and serve the people of Kogi better. He would not like to go down in history as a sitting governor that was voted out. Since 2003 the PDP has been in power in the state. Former Governor Idris defeated Prince Audu who was in office then.

The PDP is optimism is predicated on its performance in the House of Assembly election in April. Though APC swept the poll in the presidential and the National Assembly but the PDP bounced back in the State Assembly election. The PDP wants to prove that it is a grass root party. That people voted for President Muhammadu Buhari  based on his personal integrity and not the APC.

The PDP is aware that losing the governorship poll will signal the death of the party in the north-central because it is the only state controlled by the party in the region. PDP had lost Niger, Kwara, Benue and Plateau to the APC in the April poll; apart from Nassarawa that has remained APC.

The party is banking on power of incumbency to win the election. The arguement is that it is very rare to defeat a sitting government. More so, the PDP consider its candidate, Governor Wada as an electoral asset; that he has never lost any electoral contest. He has overcome every obstacle and opposition on his way. Many underrated him and thought he would lose the PDP primary.

A party stalwart, Alhaji Adamu Abubakar said Wada has a disarming mein that wins supporters everywhere he goes. He won the primary with 709 votes as against Echocho’s 139. According to Umar, the governor has the power of incumbency at his disposal and possesses heavy war chest. Besides, he is a strategist, who works behind the scene quietly without attention.

“The PDP in Kogi State sees this election as an opportunity to prove that the party is still in charge in the state. APC with all their propaganda will fail in their plan to unseat us.  We want to use the election as a test run for the PDP to bounce back to power in 2019. I can assure you that with the PDP victory on Saturday, the PDP will regain its winning strategy.

“We are not jittery by the defection of our members to APC. The party is not bothered by the defection of Echocho and his group because they are politically inconsequential. Their defection is a good riddance to bad rubbish. Defection doesn’t matter to us, what matters  to us is that the people are with the PDP and its candidate, Governor Idris Wada who will by the grace of God emerge with resounding victory.

 

Litmus test for new INEC chairman

 The major challenge facing the new Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, is that of improving on the legacy of his predecessor, Prof. Attahiru Jega, who bowed out in a blaze of glory, after facing the test of integrity for five years. Being the first election that would take place under his watch, the Kogi election is a test case for Yakubu.

According to observers, his predecessor has set a very standard that the new helmsman must emulate. Jega made history by insisting that the right thing was done to ensure free and fair elections. Thanks to him, the dynamics of politics is believed to have changed. Between 2011 and 2015, INEC under Jega moved a notch higher in its preparations with the introduction of innovations such as the Permanent Voters Card (PVC), the Card Reader, counting of votes and announcement of results at the polling units, among other things that made rigging a near impossibility.

Given the problems associated with the use of the Card Reader during the general elections,  Yakubu is expected, among other things, to design strategies to perfect the system. The new INEC boss has a huge challenge to improve on the system, taking on board all the feedback on the last election. A hitch-free election in Kogi will go a long way in instilling confidence in Nigerians regarding Prof. Yakubu’s leadership of INEC.

The PDP has alleged that the Presidency, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and some security forces are joining forces to rig the Kogi governorship elections in favour of the All Progressive Congress (APC). The election is the first election to be conducted under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari. The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, said his party has “incontrovertible records of separate meetings, late last week between the Presidency and the new INEC leadership as well as with some top security officers, which were coordinated by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Engr. Babachir Lawal.” According to Metuh, Lawal has boasted to President Buhari that Kogi State will be wrestled from the PDP by all means.

Though the Presidency has denied the claim, the onus is on the new INEC chairman to conduct a hitch-free election to sustain the giant strides the commission made under Prof. Jega. Anything short of that would put a question mark on his credibility as an electoral umpire.

Yakubu has hosted heads of nation’s security agencies on Monday, to fine-tune strategies for the election. The security team was led by the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase. According to reports, Yakubu assured Nigerians of the commission’s non-partisan stance and declared that the sanctity of ballot box would be protected during the contest.

The INEC chairman revealed that the meeting with the security agencies was called to deliberate on how to conduct free, fair and credible election in the state and create conducive atmosphere for voting. He noted that security arrangements for elections cannot afford to go below the standards set in the 2011 and 2015 elections, which he described as a litmus test.

He said: “This time around, people will move out freely, vote for the candidates of their choice without any intimidation and at the end of the voting, their votes will be counted and the results will be made public, INEC has no interest in any particular candidate or political party.”

Yakubu noted that in 2011 the INEC set up Inter-Agency Consultative Election Management Committee at national and sub-national levels to discuss security issues in the conduct of elections.

A number of factors would determine who carries the day in tomorrow’s contest. These include the ethnic factor, the choice of running mate and zoning.

 

Igala versus Igala

 The poll is between Wada and Audu. Both of them are Igala. They have paid their dues in the politics of the Northcentral state. The two of them are household names. They have their fanatical followers and undiluted support bases. For the rivals, the election is an emotional issue. The stakes are high for the two parties-the PDP and the APC. The third platform, the Labour Party (LP), has a popular candidate. But, obviously, he is running on a weak platform.

Since the Third Republic, Igala has been dominating the politics of the state. Wada’s predecessor, Ibrahim Idris, is also an Igala. It is the largest ethnic group. But, when the governorship candidate comes from Igala, other ethnic groups will be struggling for the second fiddle.

 

Running mates

 The running mates are not pushovers. The PDP deputy governor, Yomi Awoniyi, is from an illustrious political family. His father needed no introduction. Chief Sunday Awoniyi, the Aro of Mopa, was a super Permanent Secretary and Third Republic senator. His son became the deputy governor to assuage the feeling of marginalisation by Yoruba in Kogi State. Since the creation of the state, no Yoruba has been governor. The younger Awoniyi, although lacking the charisma of his illustrious father, is popular. He is loyal and dependable. Like his boss, Wada, he is not flamboyant. Since he became deputy governor, he has avoided scandals.

Audu’s running mate, James Faleke, is a member of the House  of Representatives from Ikeja Constituency. He is a one-time Chairman of Ojodu Council; highly loyal, dependable, experienced and committed to the vision and goals of the APC. Like Awoniyi, he was selected for the role for ethnic balancing. Faleke and Awoniyi are testing their popularity at the home front on Saturday. They have invaded the nooks and crannies of the Kabba-Ibunu/Ijumu axis for effective mobilisation. Thus, there is tension in the Yoruba-speaking area.

 

Faleke

 Faleke was born on December 25, 1959 in Ekinrin Adde, Ijumu Local Government Areaof the old Kabba Province, where he had his primary and secondary School education. While at the prestigious Abdulazeez Atta Memorial College, Okene, he distinguished himself as the House Captain of the Ohimege House. He later got admission into the Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna, where he obtained a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Purchasing and Supply Management with Upper Credit in 1986. He received the Best Student Award.

Faleke was posted to Lagos State for his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme   in 1986/1987. He was the Parade Commander. Later, he was posted to the National Orthopedic Hospital, Igbobi  for his primary assignment. He obtained his Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from Imo State University, Owerri, Imo State. In 1992, he passed the Professional examination of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply, (CIPS) London. He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration (FIPA).

Faleke worked as a Purchasing Expediter with the National Orthopedic Hospital, Lagos, Material Manager at Kayo Foods Limited, Ilupeju, Lagos and Purchasing, Clearing and Distribution Manager and Commercial Manager, Tate Industries PLC,  Purchasing Manager,  Air Liquid PLC, Purchasing Manager, Aluminum Manufacturing Company of Nigeria (ALUMCO) PLC, and Commercial Manager,  Crown Agents Ltd.

In the House of Representatives, he is the Chairman of the Committee on Anti-Corruption, National Ethics and Values. He is also a member of the Committees on Public Procurement, Millennium Development (MDG), Interior, Science and Technology, and Public Accounts. Faleke was a member of the House Committee on Petroleum Subsidy Probe.

In Lagos, Faleke has served as a member of the Electoral Reform Committee and Governor’s Advisory Committee, Lagos State. Between December,  last year and April, he was the Lagos State Campaign Coordinator for Buhari/ Osinbajo Campaign Group.

 

Awoniyi

 The deputy governor is a successful architect. He was born on September 4, 1960. He attended Government Secondary School, Okenne, Barewa College, Zaria, Ahmadu Bello Univeristy, (ABU), Zaria, and University College, London. He is a member of the Nigeria Institute of Architects, Architects Registration Council of  Nigeria and Nigeria Institute of Management.

Awoniyi  was a member, Board of Directors, Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority, Onne Port Complex, Rivers State, Chairman, Investment Committee of the Board, member, Governing Council, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, member, Board of Directors, Nigeria Stored Products Research Institute, Ilorin, and member, Presidential Project Assessment Committee (PPAC).

In 2006, he was a delegate the PDP National Congress in 2003, 2006 and 2011. He was a PDP senatorial aspirant in Kogi West District in 2006.

In his profession, he is an icon. Awoniyi has a successful practice. He is the Partner, Awoniyi Associates. The firm of architects and urban planners – was established in 1988. He is also the Director, Candid Oil Services Limited, Boja Industries Limited.

Having made fortune, he decided to plough back into the society. The deputy governor established the Yomi Awoniyi Foundation. The foundation has been awarding scholarship to tertiary students, renovating school infrastructure and giving micro credits to traders in Kogi West.

 

Strengths, weaknesses

 In a booklet, ‘Kogi: The journey So Far’, Wada highlighted his achievements. These include road construction, water schemes, rural electrification, construction of 250-bed teaching hospital at Ayingba, the upgrading of hospitals in 21 councils, scholarship to tertiary students and jerking up the internally generated revenue from N200 to N500. Above all, the governor said that he has promoted unity and harmony in the multi-ethnic state. However, Audu has dismissed these achievements as cosmetic feats. He said Wada should pack and go, adding that he lacks the capacity to transform the state.

The former governor alleged that development stopped in Kogi when he left office in 2003. He reflected on his tenure as a two-time governor, saying that Wada is no match for him. Some of the achievements listed by him include the establishment of the state university, construction of major inter-city roads, general hospitals and tourism. Audu challenged Wada to debate on the judicious use of state resources. Urging Kogites to keep hope alive, he said the sad episode of poor governance will end on Saturday.