House crisis: Is there a plot to remove or suspend Femi Gbajabiamila?

In the Federal House of Representatives, the lawmakers of the All Progressives Congress, are divided into two factions: Pro-Dogara and Pro-Gbajabiamila.

In spite of belonging to the same party, supporters of the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara and Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, have hardly seen eye-to-eye, since the House was inaugurated.

The latest acrimony between Dogara and Gbajabiamila’s camps started on October 22 when the speaker named the leadership composition of the 96 committees of the House.

The APC members felt betrayed and shortchanged by Dogara, as the party got the least important committees, while the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, appeared to be more favoured by Dogara.

PDP was assigned key committees like: Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream); Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream); Committee on Gas Resources; Committee on Aviation; Committee on Power; Committee on Works; Committee on NDDC; Committee on Niger Delta; and Committee on Air Force, among others.

The APC on the other hand, got the following committees: Committee on Appropriations; Committee on Finance; Committee on Customs/Excise; Committee on Defence; Committee on Communications; and Committee on Agricultural Services, among others.

Although 48 of the committees are chaired by APC members and 45 by PDP members, the majority party lawmakers are upset that the opposition took control of the supposedly ‘juicy committees’.

Ever since, there’s been a gradual revolt by Gbajabiamila and his supporters, which culminated in Monday’s boycott of the inauguration of the 96 standing committees.

Due to this boycott by Gbajabiamila and his supporters, it is believed that some Pro-Dogara lawmakers are making moves to have the Majority leader removed and/or place him on six months’ suspension.

Punch reports that members of the APC caucus, who were willing to accept the committees’ composition and work with Dogara, were ready to remove Gbajabiamila if he maintains his stance of opposition to the Speaker’s decision.

The report further stated that text messages were shared to this effect among APC members between Monday and Tuesday, to notify them of the compilation of signatures to remove Gbajabiamila.

This development reportedly led to an emergency meeting of the APC caucus to discuss the issue.

The meeting, which was was presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Yussuff Lasun, was held inside Hearing Room 1.

Although Lasun reportedly trashed the talks of a possible replacement of the majority leader during the meeting, it remains to be determined if the APC members have changed their stance on the matter.

 

 

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