Reps bow to PDP, appoint Akande-Adeola House leader


* Senate constitutes 56 new standing committees

Members of the House of Representatives have fi nally bowed to the Peoples Democratic Party’s insistence that its anointed candidate, Hon. Mulikat Akande- Adeola, be appointed as leader of the House.

The Speaker, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, had announced her name as the new leader. The announcement came at yesterday’s plenary, amidst applause and she immediately took her seat after the deputy speaker and commenced her duty. The Speaker also came up with the much-awaited announcement of the names of committees, their chairmen and deputies with Hon. Ajibola clinching the chairmanship of the House Committee on Petroleum Upstream and Hons. Emmanuel Jime and Nnena Ukeje, who moved and adopted the motion for the nomination of the Speaker, given the chairmanship of the Federal Capital Territory and Foreign Affairs respectively.

In his speech before announcing the list, the Speaker said committees were usually central to carrying out the daily briefs of the House and had been known to evolve vibrant legislation over the years and across the world. The depth and breadth of the work of the House, he noted, were done in committee and not at plenary, because they were a reflection of the larger House, hence the need for efficiency and accountability. He promised to strengthen them for effective legislation and urged members to see all committees as equal and that none should be seen to be superior to other or juicier.

The committee on media and public affairs has Hon. Zakari Muhammed as Chairman; Hon. Farouk Lawan is chairman of education committee; Hon. John Enon heads appropriation, while sports has Hon. Gaiya as chairman. Two new committees arre also announced. They are those of Freedom of Information and local content with chairmen as Matthew Ozeagu and Hon. Asita. Two motions were adopted at yesterdays plenary. They were the motions on the war in Libya and the activities of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA). The House resolved that the minister of foreign affairs appear before it, to intimate it with measures being taken to safeguard the lives and property of Nigerians living in Libya. It also directed the committee on works to conduct a public hearing into the activities of FERMA from inception till date, so as to determine how much it has gulped and whether or not there has been value for money and make recommendation on improvement. Also yesterday, the Senate made public membership of its standing committees.

The list, which was announced by President David Mark, contained two additional committees, bringing the total number to 56, from the usual 54 committees. The two new committees are special duties and Millennium Development Goal (MDG). While the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) accounted for 45 of the chairmanship slots, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) produced three chairmen, while the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) produced four chairmen.

In the same vein, the Labour Party (LP) accounted for two chairmen, Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) received one chairmanship slot, while the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) also benefited one chairmanship position. Mark in a short speech after the announcement of the committees, congratulated the senators and charged the members to commence work without delay. “The committees are in place now and we expect that you will hit the ground running. I wish you all the best,” Mark remarked.

There was no immediate opposition to the composition of the committees. The chairmanship of the committees are as follows: Senate Services – Suleiman Adokwe; Rules and Business – James Ita Enang; Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters – Umaru Dahiru; Special Duties – Clever Ikisikpo; Federal Capital Territory (FCT) – Smart Adeyemi; Media, Information and Publicity – Harcourt Enyinnaya Abaribe; Education – Uche Chukwumerije; Niger Delta – James Manager; Agriculture – Emmanuel Bwacha; Environment and Ecology – Bukola Saraki; Health – Gyang Gaya Dantong; Petroleum (Upstream) – Emmanuel Paulker; Foreign Affairs – Matthew Ifeanyi Nwagu; National Planning – Barnabas Gemade; Airforce – Saidu Ahmed Alkali; Appropriation – Ahmed Maccido; Aviation – Hope Uzodimma; Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions – Ayo Ademola Adeseun; Capital Market – Abdul Yandoma; Trade and Investment – Odion Ugbesia; Communication – Gilbert Nnaji; Co-operation in Africa – Simeon Ajibola; Culture and Tourism – Hassan Barata; Defence and Army – George Sekibo; Drug, Narcotics and Financial Crimes – Victor Lar; Petroleum (Downstream) – Magnus Abe; Employment, Labour and Productivity – Wilson Ake; Establishment and Public Service – Aloysius Etok; Federal Character and Inter- Governmental Affairs – Dahiru Awesu Kuta; Gas – Nkechi Nwaogu; Housing – Bukka Abba Ibrahim; Industries – Esther Nenadi Usman; Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) – Andy Uba; Interior – Abubakar Bagudu; Inter-parliamentary Affairs – Abdulaziz Usman; Land Transport – Sahabi Ya’u; Local and Foreign Debt – Ehigie Uzamere; Marine Transport – Zainab Kure; National Identity and National Population – Mana Ma’aji Lawan; Navy – Chris Anyanwu; Police – Paulinus Igwe; Power – Philip Aduda; Privatisation – Olugbenga Obadara; Science and Technology – Robert Borofice; Solid Mineral – Abdulahi Adamu; Sports and social Development Adamu Gumba; States and Local Government Kabiru Gaya; Water Resources Heineken Lokpobiri; Women Affairs Helen Esuene; Works Ayogu Eze; Finance Bassey Out; Public Accounts Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan; National Security and Intelligence Mohammed Magoro; Ethics, Petition and Privileges Ayo Patrick Akinyelure and MDGs Mohammed Ndume.