The controversial renovation contract in the House of Representatives rec-orded more casualties yesterday as the lower legislative chamber dramatically sacked all the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) principal officers.
However, two of the officers, House Leader, Hon. Tunde Akogun, and Deputy Whip, Hon. Aminu Wazri Tambwal, are set to retain their jobs as they were later re-nominated by their zonal caucuses.
On Tuesday, Mrs. Patricia Etteh and Alhaji Babangida Nguroje had resigned as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House over the contract scandal.
The Speaker Pro-tempore, Hon. Terngu Tsegba, who led the House in plenary, announced the sacking of the PDP officers as part of the four-point recommendations of the House after the executive session which lasted about two hours.
Tsegba also announced a communication from the Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Nasiru Arab, formally declaring the seats of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker vacant.
But another round of meeting called yesterday by PDP to agree with its House members on which state of the South-west should produce the new Speaker ended in a stalemate.
This development has thrown up a rat race for the speakership. But as the race hots up, THISDAY learnt that the top job may now be a straight battle between Leo Awoyemi and George Jolaoye, both from Osun State.
Governors of PDP states in the South-west who met Tuesday night in Abuja had decided to back Jolaoye for the top job while the Integrity Group which saw to the ouster of Etteh is said to have pitched its tent with Awoyemi.
Yesterday, the House formally began the consideration of the Idoko panel report on the renovation contract
In considering the report in plenary, the House asked the management of the National Assembly to come up with a standard procedure for the award of contracts taking into consideration extant rules and regulations of the House and other regulations guiding such contracts.
The second recommendation by the lawmakers was that the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) should take steps to make the residences of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker habitable so that they could move in as soon as possible
The House also directed the management of the National Assembly to determine the true status of the contracts in view of the repudiation and the voluntary withdrawal of the contractors handling the projects before the Idoko panel issued a stop work order to the contractors.
The officers affected in the gale of sack in the House included the Majority Leader, Akogun, who is from Akoko Federal constituency of Edo State; his deputy, Hon. Baba Shehu Agaie, from Agaie/Lapai Federal constituency of Niger State; the Whip, Hon. Bethel Amadi, from Mbaitoli /Ikeduru Federal constituency of Imo State and his deputy, Tambwal, who represents Kebbe /Tambwal Federal constituency of Sokoto State.
They were asked to go back to their zones and caucuses to seek fresh mandates for elections if they are to come back as principal officers. The four officers stood by Etteh till the very end.
The consideration of the report puts to rest the Etteh saga, which held up the business of the House for 11 weeks and culminated in the death of a member form Katsina State, Hon. Aminu Safana and the eventual resignation of Etteh and Nguroje on Tuesday evening.
The controversial N529 million renovation contracts were for the residences of Etteh and Nguroje.
Etteh arrived the House chambers yesterday as early as 1.30 pm, 30 minutes before the resumption time and quietly took her new seat.
While some members who came in after ignored her as she sat quietly in the front row, some moved to greet her.
There was a mild drama, however, when Hon. Habeeb Fasinro who was a member of the nine-man panel that investigated the contract approached Etteh to greet her.
Etteh simply ignored the Action Congress (AC) member who represents Eti Osa Federal constituency of Lagos State.
The Speaker Pro-tempore was led into the chambers by the Sergeant-At-Arms around 2.30 pm and the House quickly examined and approved the votes and proceedings of Tuesday.
Then, Hon. Lanre Agoro from Oyo State citing Order 7 Rule 1 complained that the names of the members who voted for Etteh to step aside on Tuesday were not reflected in the votes.
Ruling on the order, Tsegba explained that the listing of names would only come into play when a fresh Speaker of a new parliament was being elected. He therefore overruled Agoro.
Hon. West Idahosa who contested the post of Speaker Pro-tempore in absentia with Tsegba also cited Order 7 Rule 1 in the matter of privileges of the members.
Idahosa said he was not aware that his name was listed as a candidate for the post of Speaker Pro-tempore and was never contacted.
But Tsegba also ruled him out of order saying he was nominated and seconded by the House.
After the ruling, the Speaker pro-tempore called for the House to go into an executive session to consider the Idoko report.
The House after reconvening from the executive session called on Hon. David Idoko to lead the debate on the report.
Hon. Dino Melaye who later briefed newsmen after the sitting said the House did not apportion blame to Etteh or the assembly management in respect of the 25 per cent mobilisation paid to the contractor handling the Speaker�s residence, Messers Stateco Nigeria Limited. He said the money was a performance bond issued by Fidelity Bank and that there was no criminal intent in it.
In disagreeing again with PDP, this time over the choice of a new Speaker, most of the party�s House members refused to accept that the new speaker should come from Osun State, which had earlier produced Etteh.
The PDP National Working Committee (NWC) had at its meeting on Tuesday night zoned the speakership to Osun State and subsequently convened a meeting with its House members to inform them of the party�s decision.
The meeting which commenced at about 12.40pm yesterday was presided over by the outgoing National Chairman of the party, Dr. Ahmadu Ali, who informed the lawmakers that the office of Speaker should remain in Osun State.
Ali who handed down the party�s position to the lawmakers said: �Somebody from that state (Osun) must come back and complete the tenure,� adding that the South-west had not said no to the state.
�So let it go back to Osun State. In any case, if you don�t know, that is the PDP position. It has been zoned to that state,� Ali said.
He reminded the members in a subtle manner that anything to the contrary would be deemed as anti party activity and disobedience to laid down party rules and orders.
But the Speaker Pro-tempore said the party should allow members choose their leaders, especially the Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
The South-west governors decided to narrow the race down to only Osun State after they considered the fact that the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of PDP and former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, and incoming National Vice-Chairman, South-west, Chief Shoboyede, are all from Ogun State. Shoboyede is set to replace Senator Yinka Omilani who earlier occupied the office.
Also, a meeting of the South-west caucus of PDP convened at the instance of the Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Olabode George, and which held at the Legacy House in Abuja rose yesterday with a consensus to retain the office of the Speaker in Osun State.
THISDAY checks revealed that at the meeting, George offered Etteh the opportunity to nominate her preferred successor and in what appeared to be a shocker, Etteh nominated Jolaoye who hitherto had not jostled for the job.
However, Awoyemi who had been in the race before the meeting was held was said to have rejected the unilateral nomination of Jolaoye.
An impeccable source told THISDAY that there was open resentment of Etteh’s choice by his colleagues who felt that Etteh lacked the moral right to pick a successor, bearing in mind that she was forced to resign over alleged impropriety in the renovation scandal.
Awoyemi who represents Osogbo/Olorunda/Orolu/Irepodun Federal Constituency of Osun State is both the Chairman/Leader, Osun State caucus of the House and Chairman, House Committee on Emergency and Disaster Prepar-edness.
Awoyemi, 50, is a 1975 graduate of Chemistry from the University of Lagos.
He had at various times been member, House Committees on Education, Gas Resources, Science & Technology, Steel, Inter-Parliamentary Relation, Education, NYSC, Special Duties (Boundary Matters, National Emergency Relief Matters) since 2003 when he won election on the platform of PDP.
George, 49, obtained Higher National Diploma from Lagos State Polytechnic in Acco-untancy. Other qualifications he has include CPA and AMIN.
For the Deputy Speaker, Bayero Nafada from Gombe State and Tony Maduwatte from Adamawa State are touted as likely to slug it out. PDP had zoned the position to the North-east which had produced the former deputy speaker, Nguroje.
Last night, Akogun won at the South-south zonal caucus to retain his job. He polled 26 votes as against Hon. Leo Ogor who got only 14 members votes.
But it was gathered yesterday that Hon. Leo Ogo may be nominated by the Integrity Group for the post.
The North-west zone of the party in the House is also poised to re-nominate Tambwal who was the immediate past Deputy Whip.
But the North-east zone that will produce the Deputy Speaker is torn over who will take over the post vacated by Nguroje.
THISDAY confirmed that Binta Garba Masi, Njidda Ahmed Gella from Adamawa State, Jerimon Manwe, a former Commissioner for Works and Housing in Taraba State are the two top contenders for the post.
The South-east were locked in a grim battle whether to retain Amadi, the immediate past whip, or pick between Hon. Emeka Ihedioha (Aboh Mbaise/Ngor okpala) and Independence Ogunewe from Ahiazu/Ezinihitte Mbaise) for the job.
Also being considered is Hon. Chuma Nzeribe from Ihiala Federal constituency of Anambra State.
Nov132007