ABUJA — The prospect of peaceful
resumption in the two chambers of the National Assembly today was, yesterday,
being clouded by uncertainty despite trouble shooting efforts that were still
in the works at press time last night.
It was feared last night that
should the peace efforts fail, the brawl that smeared the last sitting of the
House of Representatives last month could replay itself and spread to the
Senate on the resumption of the two chambers today.
The fears were upon the failure
of President Muhammadu Buhari to decisively reconcile the two camps of the All
Progressives Congress, APC, in the House at a meeting he summoned, yesterday
evening. Before the failed meeting by the President which ended last night
without a breakthrough, meetings by APC governors to reconcile the party’s
brawling camps in the Senate also failed to produce a major result.
Ahead of the meeting with the
President in the villa, yesterday, the Yakubu Dogara-led leadership of the
House issued a stern warning of possible sanctions against trouble makers who
may decide to run riot in the chambers today. The ad-hoc committee on Code of
Conduct warned that any member that exhibits any act capable of disrupting the
sitting would face severe sanctions.
At the meeting in the villa, the
President appealed to the two camps led by Speaker Dogara and Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila,
who was defeated in the leadership contest, to sheathe their swords and project
the interests of the party. He pleaded with the members to heed the party’s
positions on the issues, a stance that was immediately lapped up by
Gbajabiamila, who is being projected by his camp to become the House Leader.
That quest is, however, opposed by the mainstream of the House led by Dogara on
the claim that it would infringe on the principle of federal character given
that the Deputy Speaker of the House, Rep. Yusuf Lasun is also from the same
Southwest zone as Gbajabiamila.
Coming out from the meeting, some
members apparently divided in their interests wore looks of anxiety.
Those who spoke said that the
President asked the House leadership to toe the party’s line in appointing
principal officers.
However, Dogara and Gbajabimaila
told State House correspondents that they were optimistic the problem would be
resolved soon.
It’s a family affair— Gbaja
The first to speak was
Gbajabiamila, who said that the meeting was a family affair.
“We had a family meeting. We
spoke heart to heart. The President was very forthright. It was basically on
party supremacy. I believe that by the end of the day, before the end of this
night, you guys will know the outcome. We are still talking. But I think this
is the first time everybody is coming together in a cordial atmosphere as one
family. I think we are almost at the point where all of these will be behind
us.”
We’ll pull through— Oyegun
Also speaking, National Chairman
of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun said that hopes were bright that the party
would pull through.
“Everything is up. You can see I am smiling.
You will be very surprised. A lot was achieved in 20 minutes. You can see the
Speaker of the House standing firmly by me. In another three, four hours, we
will have good news for the nation. It is never too late to strengthen the
past”, he said.
I stand by the party — Dogara
In his comment, Dogara said he
had always stood by the party.
“I have always been by the party.
There has never been a time that I never stood firmly by the party. So, like my
chairman has explained, sooner or later we will have good news for Nigerians,”
he said.
Following the meeting in the
Villa, the President asked Oyegun to iron out the issues with the two camps.
That meeting was yet to commence at press time.
Sources in the Dogara camp buoyed
by the increasing strength of the group upon the depletion of the Gbajabiamila
group pledged that the limit the group would offer to Gbajabiamila would be a
juicy committee position and not the House Leader, he and his group have
demanded.
However, following the villa
meeting, the Dogara camp resolved to concede two of the principal officer
positions, House Leader and Chief Whip to the Gbajabiamila group, while the
Dogara camp would do with the deputy leader and deputy chief whip. A source in
the Dogara camp said that the group had offered the position of House Leader to
Alhassan Dogowa from Kano State and Chief Whip to Pally Iriase from Edo State.
The deputy leader position is to
be filled by Buba Jibrin from Kogi State and deputy chief whip by Chike Okafor
from Imo State.
The statement of caution against
violence on the floor signed by Rep. Aminu Shehu Shagari, Chairman, House
Ad-hoc Committee on Code of Conduct, explained that the committee had been
mandated to act as Standing Committee on Ethics and Privileges.
Cautions against violence
The statement read in part: “The
Adhoc Committee on Code of Conduct of the House of Representatives hereby
welcomes members from their working recess.
“Members may wish to note that
the committee has been saddled with the responsibility of carrying out the
functions of the Standing Committee on Ethics and Privileges.
“As we resume plenary on Tuesday
28, July 2015 (today), the committee wishes to call on all members to conduct
themselves in an orderly manner. The committee will no longer tolerate any
unruly behaviour by any member of the House no matter how highly placed.
“Members who have grievances are
advised to explore peaceful avenues of seeking redress instead of resorting to
violence on the floor of the House or the precincts of the National Assembly.
“There are adequate sanctions in
place to penalise any member who may want to disrupt the peace during plenary,
Committee meetings or other legislative functions of the House.
“The House will deal decisively
with any member who violates the rules, disrupts plenary, or is found wanting
of misconduct and other sundry offences.
“Members are admonished to
demonstrate high standards of ethics consistent with the important role of
Lawmaking and the 8th Assembly Legislative Agenda, which places emphasis on the
well-being of the Nigerian people. We should all be guided accordingly.”
Buhari justifies reluctance to
interfere
Earlier, yesterday morning, the
President had justified his reluctance to interfere in the crisis in the
National Assembly on the basis of separation of powers.
The prospects of peace were also
clouded in the Senate which has also been rocked by internal schism following
the emergence of Senator Bukola Saraki as Senate President.
Sources disclosed that the
troubleshooting efforts of Governors Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and Atiku
Bagudu of Kebbi State also failed to reconcile the two APC factions in the
Senate respectively led by Saraki and Senator Ahmad Lawan.
C’ttee efforts derailed
A source disclosed that the
Oshiomhole–Bagudu committee efforts were derailed after separate meetings with
the two camps termed the Senate Unity Forum (SUF) loyal to Lawan and the Like
Minds loyal to Saraki failed to produce peace.
The SUF, according to sources,
was adamant that Saraki and his deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu should step down
as Senate President.
The Like Mind senators, it was
also gathered, were also planning their offensive through a scheme to suspend
six members of the Lawan group from the Senate at today’s session. The basis of
their suspension, it was being speculated, was upon their alleged sponsorship
of a petition to the police alleging forgery of the Senate Standing Rules,
which is said to be an infringement of Senate standing orders against the
externalisation of the internal affairs of the Senate.
The Lawan led group, on the other
hand, is also said to be mobilising to counteract any plan to suspend any one
of their members at today’s sitting.
Meanwhile, as a way of nipping
the crisis in the bud, the Oshiomhole-Bagudu committee, it was gathered, had
recommended that the Senate leadership should offer juicy committee positions
to the Lawan group as a way of mollifying the angst of its members.
Following their interactions, the
two governors, yesterday, briefed the President in the presidential villa on
the outcome of their intervention.
Credit: Vanguard
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