As pressure continues to mount on the Speaker of the House of Representa-tives, Hon. Patricia Etteh, to step down from office, lawmakers loyal to her have given conditions for the resolution of the logjam in the House.
The House resumes tomorrow but into a valedictory session in honour of Hon. Aminu Safana from Katsina State who slumped and died last Wednesday in the fracas that engulfed the legislative chamber over the consideration of the Hon. David Idoko panel report on the controversial renovation contract.
But normal plenary session will continue on Wednesday at which the issue of panel report will take the centre stage.
A new group in the House, Due Process Group, sympathetic to Etteh, said yesterday that the Speaker should be allowed to be preside over deliberations as the lawmakers resume on Wednesday.
The Integrity Group, which is rooting for Eteh�s ouster, has, however, insisted that the Speaker and her Deputy, Babangida Ngoroje, must step aside prior to the consideration of the report.
Meanwhile, the South-west lawmakers in the House are yet to come to agree as who takes over from the embattled Speaker if she is eventually removed.
THISDAY learnt that a meeting of some senior members of the House called during the weekend could not resolve the issue of replacement for Etteh if she is removed from office.
The Idoko panel, which investigated the controversial N529 million contract for the renovation of the official residences of Etteh and Nguroje had returned a damning report saying due process was not followed in the contracts.
The Due Process Group said that the only way the crisis could be resolved was to allow the Rules of the House to be followed.
The group, however, appealed to the Integrity Group to sheath its sword and avoid stopping Etteh from taking her seat on Wednesday.
The lawmakers, who spoke yesterday at the National Assembly, said all the members were in a better position to determine whether the Speaker should sit or not, adding that she must be allowed into the chambers to take her seat.
They said Etteh remained the Speaker of the House and should be allowed to preside over the deliberations and should step aside if found guilty.
The group alleged that the Integrity Group was against Etteh because it had an axe to grind with her over allocation of committees which was not in the members� favour.
According to the group: �Indeed there was financial and material inducements shortly before the committees list were released.
�A Toyota Rav 4 was sent to her house in Gwarimpa and she turned it down. Those flooding her house stopped when they found out that they did not get the committees they wanted. It�s very unfortunate that we have got to this stage.�
They also accused the Integrity Group of plotting to take over the leadership of the House using ulterior ways.
A member of the Group, Hon. Doris Uboh, however, urged other lawmakers to expedite action in making sure that the crisis was resolved to pave way for the real business of lawmaking.
Uboh, who said it had become worrisome that so much time had been spent on the crisis, added that other aspects of government might suffer if the lawmakers did not resolve it quickly.
�We have lost so much time. The economy may suffer if this crisis is not resolved. What are we going to tell the people that elected us that we cannot resolve this issue? I believe we are honourable lawmakers and can resolve this issue so that normal business will continue,� he said.
The House Committee Chairman on Appropriation, Hon. Festus Adegoke, who is a member of the group, stated that the crisis had lingered on for too long and affected the 2008 Appropriation Bill to be presented by President Umaru Musa Yar�Adua.
Adegoke, who is from Oyo State, explained that it would not do the country any good if the Bill was again delayed after the President had shifted the presentation from October 18 to November 8.
“We cannot continue dragging this issue. It is unnecessary and the earlier we get over it the better,” he said.
But the Integrity Group in its reaction, expressed regret over the death of Safana who died last Wednesday in the heat of the crisis after he collapsed.
Hon. Ahmed Wadada said: �We are asking for nothing but due process. She has to step aside. We are not saying she is indicted. But she has to step aside. Due process starts and ends with her stepping aside.
�It has nothing to do with juicy committee or what Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila or Farouk Lawan said. We represent Nigerians and the President�s avowed fight against corruption, and the zero tolerance for it must be upheld.
�It is not for any other thing, but for the institution of the National Assembly.�
Wadada stated that the House must be seen to be conducting a thorough investigation into the issue.
�It is not impossible that she may come out clean. It will redeem the entire institution because the whole world is a global village. The Idoko panel report must be deliberated with Etteh stepping aside. We are not saying that the Speaker Pro tempore must come from the Intergrity Group. The House will decide.�
Wadada also said that the Speaker by stepping aside would be seen to be respecting the position of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who had asked her to step aside and allow due process to be followed in the consideration of the Idoko panel report.
But when contacted, Hon. Farouk Lawman said the Integrity Group respected the President�s position and the fight against corruption and accountability.
�We also respect the President�s stand on this matter, that the National Assembly must find a way of resolving the matter. We have the capacity to resolve this matter. We want the House to work in tandem with the position of the President. We recognise his neutrality in this matter. We do not believe he is in support of Etteh,� he said.
Several members from the South-west zone, all of whom are interested in succeeding Etteh, refused to endorse one of them at the weekend�s meeting.
The meeting held at the Nicon Luxury Hotels, Abuja had only 14 members from the South-west in attendance out of 16 lawmakers that make up the group.
The lawmakers want the issue to be taken care of on the floor of the House by the members and not at the South-west caucus.
A lawmaker who attended the meeting told THISDAY that it was unfortunate that all the lawmakers from the zone seem to be interested in the office �though some states like Oyo and Ogun have been knocked out.�
Ogun State, it was gathered, may withdraw from the race if the zoning formula of the party is respected.
The National Vice-chairman of the party has been zoned to Ogun and Chief B. Shoboyede has been pencilled for the job.
That is in addition to the former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who is the Board of Trustees (BOT) chairman.
THISDAY sources said the choice of a replacement for Etteh may have been narrowed down to Osun State.
And three likely candidates namely Gbenga Onigbogi from Ijesha Federal Constituency, Leo Awoyemi from Osogbo Federal Constituency and Oluwole Oke who represents Obokun federal constituency are being touted for the exalted office.
But the Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, is said to be vehement in his support for Etteh and he is said not to be interested in who replaces her.
Obasanjo is also said to have told the South�west governors to rally round the embattled Speaker.
However, some names are at present being touted to emerge as Speaker Protempore to take charge of House deliberations on the Idoko report when the lawmakers resume plenary on Wednesday October 24.
Four names appear more prominent. They are Hon. West Idahosa, Friday Itulah, Henry Seriake Dickson and Usman Ali.
West Idahosa is the Chairman, House Committee on Interior a position he held during the reign of Hon. Aminu Bello Masari as the Speaker, having also served as the Committee Chairman for Petroleum under Ghali Na�Abba
Itulah, who is also from Edo State, is the former Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly. He has been on the fence since the crisis started .
Itulah represents Esan North-east/South -west Federal constituency of Edo State.
Dickson, who was former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Bayelsa State represents Ekeremor /Sagbama Federal constituency.
Dickson is the leader of the New Agenda Group that emerged shortly after the 2007 elections. The group made up of new members numbering over 230 was used to negotiate for committee positions.
Ali on his part represents Ankpa/Omala/Olamaboro Federal constituency of Kogi State.
He is the chairman of the House Committee on the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA). Ali�s position on the crisis has been on the need to allow due process.
Oct222007