|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Contrary to an earlier resolution of the House of Representatives not to constitute Standing Committees till September when the House would resume from its annual recess, the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila Thursday announced Committees with their headship.
House Ad- hoc Committee on Media and Public Affairs had announced at the end of an executive session that the House of Representatives will constitute 102 standing Committees in September even though it constituted the House Service Committee.
Yusuf Gagdi (APC, Plateau), while addressing journalists on behalf of others Members of the Committee said the Speaker promised members that standing Committees were not going to be constituted immediately but in September.
“Executive session was held and the issue of House Service Committee came up, Mr. Speaker promised members that standing Committees are not going to be constituted now. They are going to be constituted sometimes in September by the special grace of God but the House Service Committee will be put in place before we go on recession on either 25th or 26th of this month”, Gagdi stated.
However, Gbajabiamila unexpectedly at the end of Thursday plenary announced the constitution of the standing with their Chairmen and Deputy Chairmen respectively.
He also appointed his two main rivals to the position of the Speaker, Mohammed Bago as Chairman of the Committee on Integration and Cooperation in Africa/NEPAD and John Dyegh as the Chairman of Committee on Human Rights.
Meanwhile, Abdulmumin Jibrin who worked as Director-General of the Campaign Organization that brought Gbajabiamila to Speakership has not been appointed to Chair any Committee unlike in 2015 when he was rewarded with the Chairman of the Appropriation Committee by Yakubu Dogara when he worked for his emergence.
Some of the Committees Chairmen include: Abubakar Fulata, Rules and Business, Abdulrazak Namdas, Army, Linda Ikpeazu, Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Mohammed Kazaure, Political Affairs, Benjamin Kalu, Media and Public Affairs, Betera Muktar, Appropriation, Sarkin Arda, Petroleum Upstream, James Faleke, Finance and Aliyu Magaji, Power.
Meanwhile, the House has adjourned plenary to September 17 for its annual recess, following a motion moved by Alhassan Doguwa, Majority Leader and seconded by Ndudi Elemelu, Minority Leader.
James Kwen, Abuja
