The 11 suspended members of the House of Representatives have lost about N616m, findings by THE PUNCH revealed.

The figure represents the combined total of their quarterly allocation for the third and fourth quarters of the year (July to December).

Based on the allowances and entitlements fixed for lawmakers by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, each of the 360 members of the House takes home around N28m per quarter (or N9.33m per month).

There are three months in each of the four quarters on which the allocations of the lawmakers are calculated.

This translates to N308m per quarter for the 11 and N616m for the two quarters.

Although the 11 lawmakers have been on suspension for about four months (July to October) their colleagues have already collected the block sum for two quarters (July to December).

However, amid consistent denials by the House, there are speculations that the unofficial allocation for each lawmaker per quarter is N42m.

If this unofficial figure is to be used, the 11 suspended lawmakers would have lost N462m per quarter or N924m for the two quarters.

The 11, who belonged to a group in the House, the Progressive-Minded Legislators, were suspended in July after lawmakers loyal to the Speaker, Mr. Dimeji Bankole, fought with some of them on the floor of the House.

The group, led by Mr. Dino Melaye, was demanding an investigation into the alleged misapplication of N9bn out of the capital votes of the House by the leadership.

The group had demanded the resignation of the speaker, but the situation degenerated to a free-for-all, following which the 11 were suspended indefinitely for ‘disorderly conduct.’

THE PUNCH learnt that efforts to lift the suspension had not materialised, owing to an alleged sharp division in the ranks of the House.

Many of lawmakers backing the leadership were said to be against the return of the 11 on account of their being ‘troublemakers.’

“If for nothing, we have had some stability in the House in the last few months of their absence; their return will heat up the atmosphere again,” one lawmaker told our correspondent on Monday.

But there were those who interpreted the ‘perceived stability in the House’ to mean that lawmakers were afraid to comment on the style of its leadership, as “they do not want to be next in line for suspension.”

Seven of the 11 (Dino Melaye, Anas Adamu, Independence Ogunewe, Bitrus Kaze, Solomon Awhinawhin, Doris Uboh and Austin, Nwachukwu), had gone to court to challenge the suspension on the grounds that it was illegal.

The matter was last adjourned to November 15 by an Abuja Federal High Court.

Four others (Gbenga Onigbogi, Gbenga Oduwaiye, Ehogie West-Idahosa and Kayode Amusan) opted out of the legal option, but attempts to lift their suspension through political interventions had also not materialised due to the division in the House.

THE PUNCH investigation showed that following pleas made on their behalf by interested parties, the leadership had given the withdrawal of the law suit and the offer of an apology as a condition to consider their recall to the House.

Of the seven, only Nwachukwu has withdrawn from the suit but his suspension had not been lifted as of Tuesday.

Some of the 11 told our correspondent in Abuja that they had not been contacted on any discussions for their return to the House, just as they denied begging the leadership for pardon.

Adamu, for instance, said his group was still in court challenging the suspension.

“We are still in court and there will be a ruling on November 15,” he added.

When asked about his political future, Adamu replied, “When we get to the bridge, we will cross it; God will decide.”

Oduwaiye claimed not to have been contacted by the leadership of the House to tender any apology and neither was he keen on pleading to be pardoned.

He said, “Not me, and nobody has contacted me for an apology; the people of my constituency are very educated and they are aware of what is going on.

“My plans for the next elections are on and the decision regarding whether I will return to the House will be taken by the leaders and elders of my constituency.”

When contacted, the spokesman of the House, Mr. Eseme Eyiboh, claimed that the suspended lawmakers had been sending emissaries to the leadership to plead on their behalf.

According to him, the leadership is considering their cases individually, not as a group.

He explained that the first condition the leadership gave was for those in court to withdraw their suit and tender an apology.

Eyiboh added that there were ‘compassionate’ lawmakers in the House, who were ready to re-admit any of the 11 that had fulfilled the condition for pardon.



http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20101103411570

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3. House of assembly
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