The speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, yesterday announced 109 lawmakers as chairmen of the House standing committees.
The list includes the speaker’s loyalists clinching juicy committee chairmanship.
However, Gbajabiamilla’s man Friday and director general of Gbajabiamila/Ahmed Idris Wase Campaign Organisation, Mr. Abdulmumin Jibrin, did not feature on the list.
Besides, the names of the former speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, former minority leader, Mr. Leo Ogor, former public accounts committee chairman, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, were missing.
In all, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) got 21 chairmanship positions down from 60 allegedly promised.
The party was also awarded with 21 deputy chairmanship posts.
According to the list, Hon. Wale Raji (APC-Lagos) was named as Chairman House Services; Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas, chairman Committee on Army; Hon. Aliyu Betara (APC-Borno) as chairman House Committee on Appropriations.
Hon. Abiodun Faleke (APC-Lagos) was named as Chairman House Committee on Finance while Hon. Pascal Obi as chairman House Committee on Health Institutions; Hon. Luke Onofiok as chairman House Committee on Federal Judiciary; Hon. Akin Adeyemi as Chairman House Committee on Communications; Hon. Jimi Benson as Chairman, House Committee on Defence;
Similarly, Hon. Wole Oke (PDP-Osun) was named as Chairman House Committee on Public Accounts while Hon. Abdullahi Bago (APC-Niger) who contested against Speaker Gbajabiamila was appointed Chairman House Committee on African Integration and Cooperation.
Hon. Jerry Alagbasowas appointed as Chairman Public Petitions; Hon. Nasir Daura as chairman House Committee on Interior; Hon. Aisha Dukku as Chairman House Committee on Electoral Matters; Hon. Yusuf Buba, chairman House Committee on Foreign Affairs;
Hon. Tunji Ojo as chairman House Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission; Hon. Tajudeen Abbas as Chairman House Committee on Land Transport; Hon. Johnson Ogbuma as chairman House Committee on Environment
Hon. Lynda Ikpeazu as chairman House Committee on Maritime Administration and Education; Hon. Mohammed Jega as chairman House Committee on Internally Displaced Persons and Hon. Jonathan Gaza as chairman House Committee on Legislative Budget & Research.
Also, Hon. Yusuf Kila as Chairman House Committee on Customs; Hon. Hadija Bukar Ibrahim as chairman House Committee on North East Development Commission; while Hon. Munir Baba as chairman House Committee on Agricultural Production and Hon. Adamu Faggae as chairman House Committee on Constituency Outreach.
Others are: Hon. Nicholas Mutu, Chairman House Committee on Gas; Hon. Victor Nwokolo as Chairman House Committee on Banking & Currency; Hon. Bello Kumo as chairman House Committee on Police; Hon. Garba Datti as Chairman House Committee on Ports & Harbours; Hon. Ibrahim Babagida as Chairman House Committee on Capital Markets;
The list also has Hon. Abubakar Ado as chairman House Committee on Information; Hon. Mustapha Dawaki as Chairman House Committee on Housing; Hon. Yemi Adaramodu as Chairman House Committee on Youth Development; Hon. Olumide Osoba as chairman House Committee on Sports; Hon. Abdullahi Salami as chairman House Committee on Poverty Alleviation.
Hon. Kabir Idris was named chairman House Committee on Civil Society; Hon. Femi Fakeye as chairman House Committee on Commerce; Hon. Ifeanyi Momah as chairman House Committee on FCT Judiciary; Hon. Abubakar Kabir as Chairman House Committee on Works; Hon. Benjamin Kalu as chairman House Committee on Media; Hon. Nwokocha Darlington as Chairman House Committee on Insurance.
To calm agitation, Gbajabiamila pleaded with those who did not make the chairmanship and deputy chairmanship posts to take it in good faith.
In his reaction, Mr. Ayika Valentine Ogbonna, said by leaving some qualified members out of the committee leadership, the lawmakers would continue to query why they were left out.
“There has been suspense in the air on whether the news of members of committee will be announced. I told the leaders in a meeting we had that they already know. My opinion is that let it be fair.
“It is 360 members and we can say how do we balance, but there is a way to balance. I am from Anambra State, I have been in the state House of Assembly, two members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) from my state who haven’t held any political office were given deputy chairmanship but I was not given anything.
“I expected that there will be repercussion but I never knew it can be this bad. But I can’t be gagged
“This will be a catalyst for me to talk to this country about some of the nonsense that goes on in this country.
“Where members feel neglected – not carried along, people will start ganging up on how to protect their interests, because people elected you here and where you are unable to carry them along, then you have failed.
“Those who are favoured will try to defend the action but those who are displeased want to know why. Then we still want to know what committees one is assigned to,” he said.
