@kobojunkie
I dont give a damn if anybody is behind Etteh's scandal, truth is : she's already guilty cos d case is 'pre emptive', where was she when d contract was signed and approved, or are u trying 2 say a contract can be awarded at the national assembly without the knowledge of the speaker? not to talk of this one that is 4 d renovation of her official residence.

Seun:

Who is going to replace her? One of the boxers, of course. Boy, are we in serious trouble!

ROFLMAO.

Buttyelele,
good talk Don't mind all of them.

For me o! I think they have the format all nigerian politicians' brain cos the Corruption in their mind is too heavy


Just imagine not even up to one year in office and 600mil don go, only God knows what has happened to those who we've not investigated their asses.

i think it is an aberration for 'honourables' to be settling scores with their fist, it is too barbaric, i was wondering wat they wld expects from agberos abi them be agberos self. they seem to be better off

kolette:

@ Chiori
I totally agree with your phrase "show me a legislative body without brawls and i will show you an inert assembly. All over the world, physical combat has become the norm in legislative processes".

And for those of you condeming Patty, you would've done nothing less if you were in her place.
So leave her a-l-o-n-e!

So there are some people, even in Nairaland, that could be supporting this woman, Oh My God! Even if physical combat has become the norm in legislative processes all over the world, as claimed by you, do those people in other parts of the world fight for same reasons our legislators are fighting in Nigeria?

They are all fraudsters except the few honest ones among them.Too bad.
           Patricia Etteh deserves to go!

i think the use of derogatory words such as "ashewo", "bitch", "LovePeddler" and the likes on this forum is most indecent!  
lest we forget, she be person mama
she may be guilty for all i care the others ( so called honorable house of rep.)are not different. They are all greedy and selfish people with the aim of enrihing themselves at the expense of the various constituencies they are supposed to be representing
Not only Etteh should go, the boxers and kickboxers that have turned the federal house into a fight club arena should also be thrown out!
imagine "people papa" throwing authentic punches at each other at their age and level  
wetin dey want their pikins them to do?
wonders sha never end in naija.

This no be gender matter na naija matter forget if na man or woman thief na thief so make una leave that matter

I wonder why you guys are all crucifying the poor woman, try and get to the fact of the matter before you judge her because she's still innocent until proven guilty. As to the show of shame that happened yesterday, it really made me wonder wether we have lawmakers or boxers in the house, imagine a honourable lawmaker(lawbreaker) punching his fellow colleague, what will he say if his child was sent home from school for fighting? I wonder if Sam Peter (The Nigerian Nightmare) will not have to go and get boxing lessons from the national assembly.
This shame must stop, and hon Pat Etteh must be given a chance to defend heself, STOP crucifying her.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/08092007/for_d_records1.html

Etteh: Long Way From Impeachment [/color]


From late July 2007, the two chambers of the National Assembly proceeded on a one-and- a-half-month-recess and were due to resume plenary from September 4. But controversy over financial regulations, which is fast becoming the hallmark of the Nigerian legislature, broke out from the House of Representatives as to the circumstances leading to the award of contracts for the renovation of the official residence of the Speaker of the House, Patricia Etteh, and her Deputy, Babangida Ngoroje.

The crisis, many believe, is principally a fallout of the composition of the House Standing Committees announced by Etteh on the eve of the recess by the members of the lower House. There are 360 members in the House with each of them positioning for the less than 100 committees chairmanship positions. Indeed, standing committees of the House has never at a time exceeded 80 in number, and the Speaker had at the start of her tenure announced the decision to reduce the committees in line with the low profile disposition of the incumbent government.

There were loud grumbles as soon as Etteh announced the composition of the committees. Owing to that, it was expected that the announcement would not just go without an incident. Some ranking members who had their eyes on certain committees felt shortchanged by the decision of Etteh and the House leadership to place them in other committees. The House leadership equally knew the enormity of the problem associated with the composition of committees. They knew that their action or inaction in certain regards could lead to eruptions in the House, the magnitude of which no one could envisage. Thus, when it was being insinuated that the Senate was ready to announce its committee positions, the leaders of the House were said to have sent emissaries to the upper chamber to hold the decision so as not to heap too much pressure on the lower chamber.

When the leaders of the House of Representatives were eventually ready with the committee list, there was nothing to show that the decisions went well with the group of legislators described as the “vocal minority,” the group of ranking members. The ranking members had defended Etteh during the processes that led to her emergence, and it was believed that appointment into relevant or what is regarded as ‘juicy’ committees would be the natural payback. It was, therefore, not strange that when the crisis over contract awards broke out, those who backed Etteh’s emergence in June were also at the forefront, with many of them granting media interviews calling for probe.

While most of the stories were restricted to the media during the recess, the tense atmosphere reverted to the premises of the National Assembly as the September 4 date for resumption of activities drew close. On Friday, August 31 and Monday September 3, a group of youths converged at the main gate of the National Assembly bearing placards condemning Etteh. Some of the placards called for her removal, while others condemned her alleged act of impropriety in awarding the contracts. Some legislators in the lower chamber – including Farouk Lawan, Mercy Almona-Isei and Halims Agoda, prominent figures in the immediate past Assembly– had taken positions against Etteh and were at the forefront of spreading what the Speaker’s loyalists would term the bad news.

On September 2, the management of the National Assembly attempted to douse the tension when it addressed journalists covering both the House of Representatives and the Senate, to explain the contract awards in the House of Representatives. Director of Information and Publications in the National Assembly, Mr. Monima Daminabo, who addressed the press on behalf of the Clerk of National Assembly (CNA), Alhaji Nasiru Arab, said that the media had been fed a lot of half truths and incoherent figures, while insisting that contracts awards in the House followed due process.

Daminabo, who addressed the press conference in company with the Chairman, House Committee on Media and Publicity, Eziuche Ubani, and the acting Clerk of the House of Representatives, Mr. Niyi Ajiboye, said that only N52 million had been paid out to the contractors out of the N579,216 million total sum of the contracts. He also clarified that the official residences of the presiding officers of the legislature had reverted to the control of the National Assembly following the sale of Apo Quarters by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), adding that the National Assembly management had undertaken the upgrading of the residences in accordance with provisions made in the 2007 budget.

According to the National Assembly spokesman, the scope of work done at the residences of the presiding officers of the House of Representatives was not confined to “mere renovation but entails a comprehensive upgrade of the affected premises to the standard that befits their status.” He added,. “Due process was followed at every stage in the award of the contracts. The tender notices for the projects were duly advertised through conspicuous display on the official notice boards throughout the National Assembly premises, as is the practice. The only disbursements made so far in respect of the contracts is 25 per cent of mobilisation and to only one contractor.”

As the Assembly resumed for plenary on Tuesday, there were high expectations on the side of those pushing for Etteh’s removal on the basis of the allegations that the day would advance their cause. The media had also expected a stormy day in the chamber of the House of Representatives. But it was the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, who made the first move, when he went into consultations with Etteh just before the day’s sitting commenced.

Although many had insinuated that Mark’s visit to Etteh was to ensure stability in the House, the Senate’s spokesman, Senator Ayogu Eze, told Senate correspondents that Mark went to consult with Etteh over the burial plans for the late President of the Senate, Chief Evan Enwerem, who died in August. It was also the death of Enwerem and the need to protect the legislative tradition that saved the Tuesday for Etteh.

Plenary had to be suspended in honour of the former chairman of the National Assembly in keeping with legislative tradition. It was not surprising that both chambers of the National Assembly suspended plenary that day. The suspension of plenary early Tuesday ensured that the different caucuses of the House could meet to finetune strategies and reach positions on the raging controversy. That possibly had great effects on the proceedings of the following day, which was less rancorous. Members simply went into the business of appointing the nine-member adhoc committee to probe the allegations against Etteh and the committee was given two weeks to complete its assignment.

While the issues had been largely pursued in the media, many members came on Tuesday to get the full briefing on the issues. There are two sides to the issue at stake. There are those who believe that the troubles of Etteh were basically attached to the composition of the committees, while there is the class of purists who believe that any inkling of fraud should be isolated. But from that class of members are also some who feel that while the message (that the House leaders should not be allowed to perpetrate fraud), might be right, the messengers are not the right carriers of such a message. Members of this class believe that the messengers of impeachment song are only trying to ride on the back of others to achieve what was not given to them during the committee composition. The dilemma of this group is hinged on their suspicion that the harbingers of Madam Speaker’s travails can easily yield to negotiations as per the composition of standing committees.

Going by the nature of the parliament, the Senate has not been completely detached from the happenings in the House of Representatives. There is also the fear that whatever affects the lower chamber could easily affect the upper. Though some sources had unearthed the execution of the contract for the Senate president’s mansion with the sum of N450 million, the Assembly had since clarified that the contract was executed during the tenure of the former President of the Senate, Chief Ken Nnamani, and that it was executed by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).

Mark has not been silent on the House controversy. In Lokoja, Kogi State last weekend, he told newsmen that he was on he side of the Speaker as far as she has not been found guilty of any fraud. Besides, he was known to have shelved his foreign trip shortly after the crisis erupted during the recess to intervene in the matter. Mark told his colleagues in the upper chamber on Wednesday that they needed to be cautious on the House matter.

Daminabo also told newsmen in the National Assembly that the contract awarded for the upgrading and renovation of the Speaker’s residence stands at N238,853,192.25 (two hundred and thirty eight million, eight hundred and fifty three thousand one hundred and ninety two naira and twenty five kobo).

A breakdown of the contracts awards in the official residence of the Speaker, Daminabo said, included upgrading of the [color=#770077]main mansion of 10 bedrooms and seven sitting rooms, private office and private study. Other parts of the residence set for upgrading include the three-bedroom guest house, the three-bedroom ADC’s House, the four-bedroom domestic staff house, reception block, radio room, power house and the lock-up garages. Other items that make up the contract for the Speaker’s residence include the construction of the new security house, relocation of the mosque into the compound, construction of a chapel, furnishing, fittings and communication gadgets, payment of 5 per cent VAT and one year maintenance.

The National Assembly management also said that the sum of N90.2 million was to be spent on the upgrading of the Deputy Speaker’s residence, while another N55.2 million would be spent in furnishing the residence. Daminabo gave the breakdown of the contract to include the upgrading of the main mansion, which consists of seven bedrooms and five sitting rooms, a private study and private office.

There is also the ADC’s apartment, security house, power house and the three bedrooms guest house. He said that other components of the contract awarded for the deputy speaker’s house include the fence upgrade, provision of a 100KVA generator, security system, external works, payment of 5 per cent VAT and one year maintenance.

The National Assembly spokesman also said that the contract awards that have become a subject of controversy in the House of Representatives include the purchase of 17 official cars approved for the two presiding and eight principal officers of the House of Representatives as approved by the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission. He said that the old vehicles inherited by the office of the Speaker and the principal officers could no longer do the job after they had been used for four years. He gave the breakdown of vehicles to include one Toyota Land Cruiser VX V8 Jeep and two Peugeot 406 for the Speaker, two Mercedes Benz 500, one Toyota Jeep, two Peugeot 406 and one Toyota Hilux for the use of the Deputy Speaker. Each of the eight Principal Officers are to be allocated one Toyota Land Cruiser Jeep.

Daminabo said that while the management of the National Assembly would not want to join issues with the politicians, it felt that the public had been fed with half truths and figures that were not commensurate with those contained in the contract awards. While the defence by the management of the National Assembly will so far stand in the public domain as the strong point of the Speaker’s claim, the adhoc committee will have to look deep into the issues. The committee will for instance determine whether the control of the houses of the presiding officers of the Assembly has indeed reverted to the National Assembly unlike the practice prior to the sale of Apo Legislators’ Quarters and whether indeed due process was followed during the process of the award. One germane issue is whether the Tenders’ Board met before the contracts were awarded and which of the two Tenders’ Boards in the National Assembly handled the awards. There is the Principal Officers Tenders Board and the Management Tenders’ Board.

As the probe committee flags off its activities, it is certain that the Speaker’s traducers have got a long way to go if they must get through the intent to impeach as they have espoused in the media. This is because other than claims of morality, there is nothing in the rules of the legislature that says a presiding officer cannot sit over his or her own case. Again, with the fact that any impeachment of the Speaker or Senate President must be backed by two-third majority of the chamber, it might just be a huge task getting her to step down.

no be small thing we dey see. at least yesterday's news wasn't dull. it's a sad thing when we can't even llok up to pur leaders. if they can't resolve "easy' isues like this how do u then expect them to lead nigeria with its diverse and often complicated people and issues.

The contract thing is still like a dream to me, o mase o what leaders do we have in our dear country? Such an incredible amout of money to renovate houses for two people who are not God, Jesus or Mohammed? Its crazy and unfurtunate that in a country where youths are hungry for lack of employment, where people sleeps under the bridge for lack of accomodation, where people are begging to eat for lack of money, where people are dying from minor injuries and accidents for lack of treatment in hospitals where you have to pay before you are treated, where young people with desent background has become armed robbers to feed, where old people who has no well to do children are dying of hunger and care!!! in these situations such amount to renovete houses for just 2 people? I weep for our dear nation and just hope that one day these people will remember God created us all equal and we will all die and buried with nothing and a lot of people will be waiting for them at the gate of hell to suffer them for ever,

Going by the nature of the parliament, the Senate has not been completely detached from the happenings in the House of Representatives. There is also the fear that whatever affects the lower chamber could easily affect the upper. Though some sources had unearthed the execution of the contract for the Senate president’s mansion with the sum of N450 million, the Assembly had since clarified that the contract was executed during the tenure of the former President of the Senate, Chief Ken Nnamani, and that it was executed by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).

Mark has not been silent on the House controversy. In Lokoja, Kogi State last weekend, he told newsmen that he was on he side of the Speaker as far as she has not been found guilty of any fraud. Besides, he was known to have shelved his foreign trip shortly after the crisis erupted during the recess to intervene in the matter. Mark told his colleagues in the upper chamber on Wednesday that they needed to be cautious on the House matter.

Daminabo also told newsmen in the National Assembly that the contract awarded for the upgrading and renovation of the Speaker’s residence stands at N238,853,192.25 (two hundred and thirty eight million, eight hundred and fifty three thousand one hundred and ninety two naira and twenty five kobo).


I believe there is something in these lines that is missed. Though some sources had unearthed the execution of the contract for the Senate president’s mansion with the sum of N450 million, the Assembly had since clarified that the contract was executed during the tenure of the former President of the Senate, Chief Ken Nnamani, and that it was executed by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).



KoboJunkie

well lets not be so quick to conclude, its left for the committee who are looking into the case to finally prove her guilty, not that i'm saying that she is innocent of the charges, but it is wrong to associate her with words of profanity, after all no average Nigerian politician is really free from some form corruption

Etteh should be handed over to E.F.C.C for proper investigation that woman is a thief, a comfirm thief, if that woman have d opprtunity she can rob C.B.N our government should triet her like alams ex gov of bayesa state, her offens is even more than that of ex governors just how many days have this woman be office, who knows what order gov/sen/hon/ministers are doing God should help us the poor masses are surfring in this country  Etteh most go to jail

my fellow Nigerians.
When I saw d fight 2day on AIT, I was damn angry, u know Y?
So we had good fighters like this and rather 4 them 2 go into the Olympics to win medals 4 us, they choose 2 go into politics, and insult our very "national" sensibilities.

Their family, friends and constituencies must be very ashamed of them.
However, in all sincerity, I am not Suprised.
God bless Niaja

Instead of jumping to conclusion, why do people refuse to read. according to the document posted by the dude there who was kind enough to have done it, the Contract was not approved by her and during her own TERM. Someone else did it before she came in to office. Should we not get to the root instead of jumping to accuse the woman of what we are not sure of.


Let me guess, some of those who are calling her names are those senates who were in the fight yesterday?? I will not put it past nigerians to try such.


KoboJunkie

This is plain Politics and it hurts me that they use our precious time and minds to keep wondering what will happen, making us feel she is the first political greedy person. Well the only time i will say she must go is when they tell us how much they used to rennovate our president's house, vice, senate president. Then i will have a say.

But the fight was tight i no go lie  

@kobojunkie
U should be aware that what was posted there is from a Nigerian tabloid, _{probably a pro-etteh one}. We shouldnt't be sure of anything until that commitee prooves the contrary. I'm not sure it is true that that contract was awarded before her tenure.

For Tundewoods and those who requested for a link,Here is one but it lacks audio.
Its better seen on TV.That is when you can maximize the importance of your NYSC and other fitness exercises you have been doing.

[flash=425,350]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dany8sr7AZ8[/flash]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dany8sr7AZ8

Joey82:

@kobojunkie
You should be aware that what was posted there is from a Nigerian tabloid, _{probably a pro-etteh one}. We shouldnt't be sure of anything until that commitee prooves the contrary. I'm not sure it is true that that contract was awarded before her tenure.

Think about it yourself @Joey82, She came in to office in MAY 2007 , and this is SEPTEMBER 07, Have you EVER heard of a case that one person gets caught that FAST in NIGERIA? And the contract is not even a NEW one , it has been on for a while, come on, get to the ROOt First people!!!

ROMBLAO


KoboJunkie

Kobojunkie:

Think about it yourself @Joey82, She came in to office in MAY 2007 , and this is SEPTEMBER 07, Have you EVER heard of a case that one person gets caught that FAST in NIGERIA? And the contract is not even a NEW one , it has been on for a while, come on, get to the ROOt First people!!!

ROMBLAO


KoboJunkie

very well said

The actions of the Honourable members clearly replicate the same way they fought their way to National assembly. Honourables indeed!  
Wabara and co. were removed for paltry sum; why would she be allowed to stay.

And i wonder why the fighting when it is so glaring to see that she actually signed those contract and there shouldnt be no debating about it.
It's a shame to women folk!    

Shaunscot:

For Tundewoods and those who requested for a link,Here is one but it lacks audio.
Its better seen on TV.That is when you can maximize the importance of your NYSC and other fitness exercises you have been doing.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dany8sr7AZ8

Shaunscot, could you also put the video on Google video?

Hmmm. Actually, youtube is owned by Google and is better than Google Video.

I know. The problem is youtube is filtered by my company's firewall and I wanted to view the videos now.

wtf! i hate it when peeps are so damn,,,,,,,,,,,, dense??

for those of u saying, "give her a chance". . . "she's still innocent till proven otherwise"
pray tell me, what are these charges against her that shes innocent of?

and dont be like, "we all know what it is". . .  SAY IT!!!


now tell me honestly if that don't stink to u!!!!

_{for crissake the woman approved the damn contract!! norm or no norm!!}

HEY I READ YOU AND RIGHTLT SO. I THINK ITS THE GAME THATS TO BE BLAMED AND NOT THE PLAYERS. WE NEED A COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF OUR RULES/LAWS/CONSTITUTIONS.


BUT BROS, SHE TOO SABI TOO CHOP OO      

OMG!!!! look at those old men that loot our country and starve the masses!. fighting, i cant shout

hi friends, get this and get it right.--PATRICIA ETTEH is a THIEF!!!,a dirty silly woman,so greedy to the extent that the money she was after could not let her reason properly that what she is doing is wrong.
Patricia etteh is that type of woman that will walk into the open market and start looking down on innocent people,thinking they will get her bag cut. 68 million naira to buy and fix in spa (massaging bath) into her house?? and she believes she doing the right thing?.


kudos to Dr.DORA NKEM AKUNYILI, Mrs MODUPE AKINBODE (rtd head of service oyo state) and many more beautiful women of that integrity, these are real ROLE MODELS not that thief patricia etteh.
during her campaign then,i quote her saying "what a man can do-a woman can do better" now she did it much more that those mens.

some nigerians hv no place(house)to sleep,some no food to eat,others no funds to pay their health bills and so on and on,