House Members Scrabble for Committee Chairmanship
Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon Yakubu Dogara
By Damilola Oyedele in Abuja
Simmering tension currently exists in the House of Representatives over the leadership and membership of key standing committees which are in the process of being formed, as some members are lobbying to be part of certain committees.
These committees which are considered Grade A include Defence, Appropriation, Petroleum (upstream and downstream), Finance, Foreign Affairs, FCT, Education and Health, generally in sectors with big strengths and huge budgets. Other committees are grouped into Grades B and C.
THISDAY gathered that some members feel they are entitled to choose which of the 89 committees they wish to belong too, considering their influence in the lower chamber, and their closeness to its leadership.
Also it should be recalled that the structure of the committees was fingered as a causal factor while the leadership tussle of the House lasted for seven weeks, as some members hinged their support to aspirants, on promise of leadership of lucrative committees.
The tension generated by the issue made the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon Yakubu Dogara to make an announcement on Thursday that the selection committee was yet to hold any meeting.
He said this against the backdrop of reports that the committee has been meeting and was being lobbied by members for certain standing committees, and to make clarifications on some text messages making the rounds that the members should indicate which committees they prefer.
Dogara disclosed that the inaugural meeting of the committee would hold Tuesday August 11, 2015, adding that state representatives on the selection committee are responsible for coordinating their caucuses on filling forms to indicate areas of competence.
THISDAY gathered that the Speaker, who statutorily is the Chairman of the selection committee, is working to ensure fairness, so that another round of crises would not start.
A lawmaker who asked not to be named however noted that the Speaker is caught up in trying to find balance to ensure that the Consolidation Group (his supporters during the leadership tussle) are well placed in membership and leadership of strategic committees.
“The Speaker and the principal officers must also make sure that Gbajabiamila’s loyalists are well taken care of. Basically no one wants to be put in committees that are not really functional. Some consider them as punishment” the lawmaker added.
The House Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila is also said to be trying to ensure his supporters are not left out, particularly those who stood firm, while others betrayed him.
Reacting, the Special Assistant, Media to the House Leader, Mr. Olanrewaju Smart refuted the claims telling THISDAY “to the best of my knowledge there is no such thing and the headship of any committee in the House is at the discretion of Speaker Yakubu Dogara”.
Also the Special Assistant, Media to the Speaker, Mr. Turaki Hassan said the Speaker is not under any pressure from anybody or from any quarters, regarding the appointment of Chairmen or Deputy Chairmen of committees.
“…more so, the selection committee has not even had the inaugural meeting.
It is after the selection committee has done its work of placing members, that the Chairmen or Deputy Chairmen will be appointed,” he said.
“…more so, the selection committee has not even had the inaugural meeting.
It is after the selection committee has done its work of placing members, that the Chairmen or Deputy Chairmen will be appointed,” he said.
The selection committee is made up of one member from each state, and its members are picked by state caucuses.
It is the responsibility of the member on the selection committee to place his co-state representatives on committees, and this is done with consideration for expertise, professional background and zone. Committees such as Rules and Business, Justice are headed only by lawyers.
Statutorily, the appointment of Chairmen and Deputy Chairmen of Committees is the exclusive preserve of the Speaker ‘in consultations’.
“Members from one zone only cannot fill up a committee. Two members from one state cannot be placed in one committee, as since each committee has about 30 members, it means each state of the country must have at least one person. The Speaker, even though he appoints the heads of these committees, has to do it in a way that each state get at least one chairman, and two deputies. Some get two Chairmen, as they have more representatives that other states,” another lawmaker told THISDAY
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