The Action Congress, the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, the African Democratic Congress and the National Conscience Party have called on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Olubunmi Etteh, to immediately step down.
They argued that her resignation would help her preserve whatever was left of her integrity and that of the office she occupies.
According to them, her indictment by the committee, which probed the N628m contract scandal in the House, made their calls imperative.
While the AC�s position was contained in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Afenifere, the ADC and the NCP spoke with our correspondents on the telephone.
In its statement, the AC said every extra day the speaker spent in office would further dent the image of the House.
The party said it was also unimaginable for Etteh to hang on to her job long enough to preside over the debate on the report when the House resumes on October 16 from its recess.
The AC argued that the technicality of whether or not the nine-member panel mentioned indictment in their report or recommended any sanction against the House leadership was irrelevant.
It said this should not be used by Etteh and her supporters to continue to portray Nigeria as an unserious country in the comity of nations.
The AC said, �It is not just that this woman has been indicted by a panel of fellow parliamentarians, she has lost control over the House after her indiscretion precipitated a shameful brawl, including exchange of blows, by ordinarily honourable members.
�Since there should still be honour even among thieves, the speaker�s party, the PDP, should immediately ask her to step down in the interest of the country.
�Irrespective of the antics of some discredited few, we believe politicians in Nigeria are not less honourable than their counterparts elsewhere, and the time has come for Etteh to prove this by quitting the stage.�
On its part, Afenifere, through its National publicity Secretary, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, said it was important for the speaker to resign so that she would not manipulate the debate when the House resumes.
�It is a good thing that the committee put sentiments apart and do the right thing. What is left for the speaker is to throw in the towel before the House resumes,� the group added.
The ADC, in its reaction, said that Etteh must resign to save herself the disgrace of being thrown out of office.
The Chairman of the ADC, Chief Okey Nwosu, described the report as a test case for the zero-tolerance for corruption policy of President Umaru Yar�Adua and the PDP.
Nwosu said, �She should resign. She should also account for all the money that was misappropriated in the process. It will be a test case for the zero-tolerance for corruption of the Yar�Adua administration, the House and the PDP.
�The EFCC (Economic and Financial Crimes Commission) and the PDP need to act now to save her from embarrassment.�
Also reacting, the NCP said that it expected Etteh to have resigned.
The Chairman of the party, Dr. Osagie Obayuwana, said, �We expect her to resign for trying to prolong the culture of impunity, self aggrandisement and graft that characterised the former President Olusegun Obasanjo�s era. She told a lie and took Nigeria on a tortuous path through that investigation.
�She ought to have said the truth and resigned instead of allowing the country pass through that path. I expect her to resign if she is honourable. Otherwise, the House should not waste time to impeach her.�
Meanwhile, the House has distributed copies of the David Idoko-led panel report to its 360 members.
The distribution is to enable the lawmakers scrutinise it before their resumption on October 16.
A member of the House, Mr. Patrick Obahiagbon, had drawn the attention of his colleagues to the fact that copies of the report were yet to be made available to them.
He referred to Order 5, rules 1 and 2, which deal with the privileges of members and then called for the distribution of the report.
Obahiagbon argued that members should be given the report to enable them study it before �the great debate� on it.
According to him, the tension the scandal had generated and the growing public interest on the matter made the distribution of the report to members imperative.
He said, �As we are going on vacation, we should have been given the copies. The report should be officially given to members before they go on vacation so that they peruse it properly.�
Responding, Etteh said it was wrong for anyone to think that embarking on vacation was to pursue an ulterior motive.
She said plenary was only being suspended to enable the standing committees of the House to collate data from ministries for the 2008 budget.
She also said that it was not her responsibility to circulate copies of the report, but that of the Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Mr. Ita Enang.
Etteh then asked for Enang�s response on the issue.
Enang replied by saying that the report was being reproduced by the printing department of the House.
�The document is being reproduced at the printing department. It will soon be made available to members in the next one or two hours,� he explained.
A few hours later, Enang told one of our correspondents that copies had been distributed to members and newsmen.
Before the House resolved to embark on the two-week vacation, a debate had ensued between two members�Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila and Mr. Itula Friday.
Gbajabiamila raised a point of order calling for the stoppage of the vacation but he was countered by Friday.
Gbajabiamila had relied on Section 63 of the 1999 Constitution in raising the point of order on the matter.
The section stipulates that each chamber of the National Assembly shall have a minimum of 181 sittings in a legislative year.
Gbajabiamila, who is both the Minority Whip and Leader of AC in the House, said that with 33 sittings since the House was inaugurated, it was impossible for it to meet the mandatory constitutional requirement.
However, Friday countered him, saying that his argument violated Order 10 of the House.
He also argued that committee sittings were part of the 181 days, enshrined in Section 63 of the constitution.
Consequently, he urged the speaker to rule Gbajabiamila out of order.
Responding, Gbajabiamila, a lawyer, said that he never brought any motion or the suspension of plenary session. He added that he did not amend the order paper for Thursday�s proceedings.
The lawmaker emphasised that what he did was to raise a constitutional point which was superior to any other rule.
At this juncture, the Minority Leader, Alhaji Mohammed Ndume, asked Etteh to rule on the point of order before the House could proceed to other issues.
Etteh then said the decision to suspend sittings had been taken on Tuesday for committees to expedite action on 2008 budget preparations.
�We cannot be translating (interpreting) the rule of the House the way it suits us, the rule is meant for the House,� she explained.
When the matter was put to vote, the ayes had it.