10th Assembly Speakership: Plot to impeach Gbajabiamila looms over ‘doctoring’ of House rules

• Wase, Doguwa reject APC choice of Tajudeen, backs Betara for Speaker

By Christiana Ekpa

Outgoing Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, may face impeachment from office ahead of the inauguration of the 10th Assembly over alleged doctoring the House standing rules to favour the preferred Candidate of the ruling party’s choice of Speaker and Deputy Candidates
Our reporter gathered that over 100 aggrieved members of the House have signed a notice of impeachment to be served on the Speaker at the resumption of plenary Tuesday yesterday which was purportedly moved to 16th of May
The session could have been hot if it was not moved further as members vowed to raised the issue on the floor of the House for immediate retraction of the rigged and doctored document.
The doctored standing rules, refered to as the 10th edition sighted by our correspondents, has a new , strange and obnoxious 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 captioned “election of presiding officers” stated that, “ every member voting shall name clearly and in the open the candidate of his choice.”
Peoples Daily recalls that the election that brought the seating Speaker was an Open secret ballot that has been in use since 1999.
Speaking to our correspondent, a source who plead anonymity 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 present Speaker is being accused by his colleagues of single-handedly manipulating the rules of the House to edge out more credible aspirants in favour of his preferred candidate Hon Abbas Tajudden who is unpopular with members.
The source said “The goal is to create fear in members and open them up for victimisation by the new government and the ruling All Progressives Congress (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 choose to do it. “
“It is a slap on the faces of Hon members and an embarrabsment to the nstitution of the legislature. We will insist that Gbajabiamila should step aside for 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.
Ok 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 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.
“The chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business and the Deputy Speaker of the House will be asked to explain their roles in this unfortunate and devastating development.
“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.”