First - time Members Revolt Against House Leadership
Over 150 first- time members of the House of Representatives have protested their exclusion from legislative businesses by the leadership of the House.
Over 150 first- time members of the House of Representatives have protested their exclusion from legislative businesses by the leadership of the House.
The embittered law makers who form over 75 percent of population of the House,b daormed what they said have formed the Novelty Group, to put pressure on the leadership in a bid to realise their dream.
Sources further said that members of the group were plotting the impeachment of Abbas, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, House Leader Julius Ihonvbere and Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda.
Meanwhile, the group's inaugural meeting, scheduled for Abuja Wednesday evening, was abruptly cancelled following the death of a member of the House, Hon Olaide Adewale Akinremi, a.k.a Jagaban.
Until his sudden death, Akinremi represented Ibadan North Federal Constituency of Oyo State on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
A member of the group who spoke to reporters said Wednesday night that a new date would be fixed for the inaugural meeting after the mourning period of late Hon Akiremi.
Furthermore, a member of the APC House member from one of the six states in country’s South/South geopolitical zone (name withheld) is coordinating the group’s activities.
Furthermore, a member of the APC House member from one of the six states in country’s South/South geopolitical zone (name withheld) is coordinating the group’s activities.
It was further learnt that membership of the group cut across eight political parties and the six geopolitical zones of the country, even as members of the splinter group were particularly angered that the House had become an appendage of the Presidency.
According to sources, the new members of the House were aggrieved over the way the leadership easily buckled to the whims and caprices of the Presidency in passing executive bills and other sundry correspondences from the Presidency.
They particularly accused the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas of not acting decisively and assertively enough to guarantee the House’s independence.
The protesting lawmakers were uncomfortable with Deputy Speaker Kalu’s authoritarian tendencies and arrogant postures, especially when he was chosen to preside in Abbas’ absence, even as the
first-term lawmakers were reported to be after Ihonvbere and Chinda over alleged failure to protect and sacrifice their interests due to pecuniary gains.
According to sources, the new members of the House were aggrieved over the way the leadership easily buckled to the whims and caprices of the Presidency in passing executive bills and other sundry correspondences from the Presidency.
They particularly accused the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas of not acting decisively and assertively enough to guarantee the House’s independence.
The protesting lawmakers were uncomfortable with Deputy Speaker Kalu’s authoritarian tendencies and arrogant postures, especially when he was chosen to preside in Abbas’ absence, even as the
first-term lawmakers were reported to be after Ihonvbere and Chinda over alleged failure to protect and sacrifice their interests due to pecuniary gains.
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