Niyi Odebode, Abuja

A member of the House of Representatives, Dr. Ibrahim Olaifa, representing Oluyole Federal Constituency in Oyo State, on Saturday said the House had not approved Islamic banking.



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Olaifa told our correspondent in Abuja that although the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Lamido Sanusi, appeared before the House, Islamic banking had not been debated by the lawmakers.

He said he expected the leadership of the House to allow for a debate on the issue this week.

He said, "I read in the newspapers that the House approved Islamic banking, Speaking for myself, nothing like that happened. Lamido Sanusi came in respect of an invitation of the House. He presented his position and he was allowed to go. He was not even asked a question.

"The House has not even discussed it (Islamic banking). The reason why he was allowed to go and the sitting adjourned was to enable members to attend the burial of the Chairman of the National Assembly Commission."

He added, "We would have postponed the CBN's governor's appearance. But we know he is a very busy person. If we had postponed it, getting him to come another time, may be difficult."

"As a sign of respect for the deceased, the sitting had to be postponed. You would have observed that the Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, was not around. He went for the burial. That was why the sitting was adjourned. I can assure you that the House will discuss Islamic banking and arrive at a position."

Olaifa commended the House's legislative agenda, saying if the lawmakers implemented it, Nigeria would change.

He said, "If the House of Representatives is doing its job the way it should do it, the Senate would take their own cue from that. The executive would try as much as possible not to mess up."

The lawmaker further said that the agenda would assist the House in performing its oversight functions properly.