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There are strong indications that the controversy over the lopsidedness in the allocation of N100 billion approved for zonal intervention project may be put to rest today, BusinessDay gathered on Wednesday.
The sub-Committee (otherwise called Wise Men) set up by the Yakubu Dogara-led leadership some months ago to advise the Body of the Principal Officers, had in its report presented to the members during an executive session held last week at the National Assembly complex, recommended that status quo should be maintained.
It however, noted that the leadership on its volition could concede any amount to members in the bid to douse tension among members.
A member of the Body of Principal Officers who confirmed this during a chat with our Correspondent, assured that the leadership of the House will convene an Executive session today, Thursday where the Speaker will announce the redistribution of the funds to members.
Another lawmakers who confirmed the restiveness among members over the Zonal Intervention/constituency project, noted that Lagos and Kano states are the most deprived.
He however distant himself from any impeachment move considering the level of sycophancy among the lawmakers.
While noting that most of the lawmakers were unhappy with the leadership over undue delay in the procurement of Peugeot 508 cars for which he alleged that money has been withdrawn from the House account twice, he however argued that “the House is on keg of gun powder, it can burst at anytime but how it will happen, nobody can tell.”
The aggrieved lawmaker who denied knowledge of the House budget, noted that he’s only aware of his salary.
Another lawmaker from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who also pleaded anonymity, expressed reservation over the unabated crisis facing the Dogara administration.
“The image of the National Assembly is completely rotten, nothing is working again. It is not only zonal intervention fund that I have issues with but also the image of the assembly. There is a cabal operating within the system that is not allowing the system to work.
“Committees are non functional, Chairmen are not allowed to work, that is not the internment of the framers of the National Assembly. The parliament is completely without leadership or with leadership that is very greedy and selfish, leadership that is self centred and without eyes, leadership that doesn’t feel people exist and should exist in the system,” he explained.
Speaking on the way out of the current predicament, he said: “the solution was for them to sit up. I will not be part of any attempt to effect leadership change now because I am born again and the Bible says every authority cometh from God, what I owe that authority is to respect and pray for the authority. I cannot join for the removal of anybody as parliamentarians that is not the solution to our problem, the only thing is for them to sit up.
“My advise to them is for the leadership to know that members are complaining and for them to have regular interaction sessions with members and to know and appreciate their problems and for them to keep aside pride and do what they are suppose to do which they know is right because the fruit of righteousness is in the tree of light. Let them do what is right and what they are supposed to do as leaders,” the PDP lawmaker said.
KEHINDE AKINTOLA, Abuja
