Reps move to impeach Bankole

COSMAS EKPUNOBI, Assist. Pol. Editor


Speaker of House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, may not come out unscathed from a fresh offensive being planned by some of his colleagues, who are regrouping to open another inquest into the N2.3 billion car purchase scandal and the N5.2 billion rural electrification scam involving Hon. Ndudi Elumelu and three others.

Also some principal officers of the House have been fingered in a fresh N150 million scam, said to be used for the second anniversary celebration of the legislative chamber under Bankole. This is even as some lawmakers who were shut out in the sharing of the money, are demanding for a full account of how the amount was spent.

Meanwhile, Daily Champion gathered yesterday that the renewed offensive followed alleged involvement of some principal officers of the House in the N5.2 billion electricity scandal.

There are fears in the House that more heads may roll as Elumelu and other principal actors in the scam had vowed to open up on the details of Bankole’s involvement.

Daily Champion also gathered that the anti-Bankole group is unhappy with how the N2.3 billion car purchase scandal was swept under the carpet and the image problem it created for the House.

The new group which is already collecting signatures for possible impeachment move, was said to have frowned at the way Elumelu and others were sacrificed while Bankole was shielded.

A source told Daily Champion that the new group is closely linked to disgraced former speaker, Patricia Etteh, who it was gathered, wants to use the opportunity to cut her pound of flesh.

The source said the group had enlisted the support of some vocal lawmakers for the renewed offensive against the House leadership.

Daily Champion gathered that trouble started last weekend following a fresh allegation that the leadership of the House influenced the report of the Ethic and Privileges Committee which absolved Bankole and his leadership of complicity.

The Committee on Ethics and Privileges had earlier absolved the speaker of any complicity in the said scam.

The source told Daily Champion that leadership of the House, which had earlier resolved to sacrifice the deputy speaker Hon. Bayero Nafada, who was at the centre of the scam, made a u-turn when the deputy threatened to spill the beans.

It said the deputy speaker had at a meeting declared that he would not go down alone, and that he would open up on the transaction if the leadership fails shield him.

Daily Champion gathered that the speaker was forced to call for a meeting between the House leadership and the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) during which a bail out was secured for the deputy speaker.

It is believed that re-opening the car purchase scandal would consume Bankole who has been increasingly growing unpopular among his colleagues especially with the power scandal.

Though efforts have been made to speak to Bankole on the matter, he has preferred to remain mute. A close aide however told Daily Champion that the speaker has been wary of talking to the press for fear he may be brought to task to answer questions over his involvement in the numerous financial scams rocking the House he leads.

do these guys do anything other than probe probe probe.

talk about looking 4 a way to avoid real legislation.

lol this house of representative is a mess. There are also "claims" they are collecting signatures to remove the Chief Whip.
All they are good at is probing and probing. I wonder how the senate was able to sweep under the carpet the Senators that went to Ghana to meet petroleum companies for what some are calling bribes.

213 Reps sign up to remove chief whip

The House of Representatives will move against its Chief Whip, Emeka Ihedioha when it reconvenes from break on June 23.

About 213 out of the 360 members of the lower legislative chamber have already signed up for the action.

Coordinator of the planned removal, Dino Melaye disclosed this in a chat with journalists on Thursday in Abuja, adding that Mr Ihedioha’s ouster “is a forgone conclusion.”

The chief whip was alleged to have mismanaged over N150 million meant for the celebration of 10 years of unbroken democracy in the country, observed on May 29.

The House leadership had appointed him the chairman of a committee which organised the celebration. Former Speakers, their deputies, and other principal officers were invited to speak on June 4, after they were treated to a dinner.

Among those in attendance were former Speakers Edwin Ume-Ezeoke, Agunwa Anaekwe, Ghali Umar Na’Abba and Aminu Bello Masari. Also in attendance were former deputy speakers Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Chibudom Nwuche and Austin Opara.

Plot to remove Mr Ihedioha, who represents Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala federal constituency of Imo State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), began in Kano and Uyo where the lawmakers were attending a retreat.

He was not, however, present in either Kano or Uyo retreat as he was said to have travelled to Lebanon to monitor election in that country.

Mr. Melaye, a PDP member from Kogi, collated signatures for the removal of the chief whip in Kano while others coordinated in Uyo where the retreat was holding simultaneously.

The lawmaker claimed that as at Wednesday, he had collected 203 signatures, and that he was at the National Assembly complex on Thursday to get more signatures of members.

“You can see that I’m very busy. This matter is why you see me running up and down. I cannot speak to you on it until it matures,” he said, showing the green file folder containing the signature of members.

The lawmaker said that the signature was an indication that members were no longer enjoying the confidence of the Chief whip.

“This signature here is to show how unpopular the chief whip is among members, we do not even need all the numbers to append their signature”, he said.

Mr. Melaye said that no amount of pressure would make him back down from the project, adding that members have demonstrated that the Chief Whip no longer enjoyed their confidence.

The lawmaker said the list of signatures was not a petition, but meant to show that members no longer want Mr. Ihedioha as one of their leaders in the House and would not condone an act of corruption from any of their leaders.

“This is a cancerous mission that is capable of spreading to any obstacle on its way. So we are very clear in our demands, we are only waiting for June 23 resumption to actualise it,” he said.

Mr Ihedioha’s kinsman, Independence Ogunewe who represents Ahiazu Mbaise/Ezinihittte federal constituency of Imo State, declined comment when contacted on the matter.

Mr Ogunewe who is a known critic of Mr. Ihedioha said he would prefer not to speak so that his views would not be misinterpreted.

Mr Ihedioha was elected Chief Whip in November 2007, a position that has been zoned to the South East in the current political dispensation. He replaced Bethel Amadi who occupied that position under the former speaker, Patricia Etteh.

Repeated calls to the Mr. Ihedioha’s mobile phone did not go through.

According to Order V111 of the House Standing Rules, the Chief Whip is nominated from among members of the majority party in the House.

The rule also says that he/she shall in conjunction with other officers, ensure the attendance of members, order, decorum and discipline in the House; and organise members in debates and divisions and persuade them on voting one way or the other.

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