The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, is facing a possible impeachment ahead of the inauguration of the 10th Assembly.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the lawmaker faces impeachment over allegations of doctoring the House standing rules. The accusations suggest that Gbajabiamila manipulated the rules to favour his preferred candidate as Speaker and Deputy.
According to reports, over 100 aggrieved members of the House have already signed a notice of impeachment to be served on the Speaker at the resumption of plenary on Tuesday morning, Daily Independent reports.
It is expected that the session will be heated as members are determined to raise the issue on the floor of the House for an immediate retraction of the rigged and doctored document.
The altered standing rules, referred to as the 10th edition, reportedly contain a new provision for electing the Speaker and Deputy through an open ballot instead of the existing rule of secret ballot that has been in use since 1999. Section 2 (f) (iii) of the controversial clause titled “election of presiding officers” states that, “every member voting shall name clearly and in the open the candidate of his choice.”
Gbajabiamila is being accused by his colleagues of single-handedly manipulating the rules of the House to exclude more credible aspirants in favour of his preferred candidate, Hon Abbas Tajudden, who was recently announced as the preferred candidate by the All Progressive Congress National Working Committee.
A Principal officer of the House (name withheld) said: “Yes, I can confirm that an alteration has been done and the document has been printed. But I want to tell you that even as a principal officer in the House I am not aware of this. No such amendment has been officially carried by the House.”
Another member said: “This is a strange departure from our traditional procedure of electing presiding officers in the House which has always produced Speakers and Deputy Speakers through secret ballot system. We have never discuss the issue of amending our rules in this repected in the last four years it must be the gand work of somebody who is trying to be faster than the House. I assure you we will get to the root of the matter immediately so as to save the House from any embarrassment.
“The goal is to create fear in members and open them up for victimisation by the new government and the ruling All Progressives Congresse (APC) which is believed to have been zoned to the North West Geo-Politocal zone ostensibly to pave way for the emergence of Abbas Tajuddeen. It is aimed at creating an impression of disloyalty againts members who choose to vote their conscience as against the instruction of the ruling party. This is brazen and reckless by whoever chooses to do it. “
“It is a slap on the faces of Hon members and an embarrassment to the constitution of the legislature. We will insist that Gbajabiamila should step aside for a proper investigation to be carried out on how the rules were doctored. Where is the votes and proceedings of the session and the order paper of the day that the amendment was carried out.
“The House will have a Speaker Pro-Tempo who will preside over this investigation until the issue is unearthed.’”
” It is unbelievable that our rules will be altered without recourse to the procedures. As I speak to you even the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives who chairs the consideration of reports is not aware of this amendment. This is a serious breach and an unpardonable democratic offence. It is unfortunate that this is coming few weeks to the end of Gbajabiamila’s tenure just because he wants to be controlling the House of Representatives after his tenure.”
“It is equally instructive to note that whether Gbajabiamila is aware of it or not a serious branched has been established under his leadership which he must give account of.”
