Contrary to expectations, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Patricia Olubunmi Etteh, will not step aside for the emergence of an Interim Speaker, who is expected to preside over the debate on the Idoko Panel’s Report, when the House resumes on Tuesday.
The House had failed to hold any meaningful session last week as members, all through, engaged one another in violent acts, which eventually led to the death of a member from Katsina State , Hon. Aminu Safana.
Although Safana’s death has altered the foul mood of the House against the Speaker against the backdrop of her insistence on presiding over the debate on the Idoko panel’s Report. Indications are rife, therefore, that the Speaker would not resign as her strategists have resolved to find an alternative means of making her vacate the seat without further rancour among members.
Findings by Sunday Tribune indicated that the Pro-Etteh group in the House were mooting the idea of Etteh’s impeachment rather than allowing her to face the pain of instant stepping aside over the contract scandal against which she has been claiming innocence.
Those who are selling the impeachment option, according to findings, were apparently attempting to buy more time for the Speaker, since the process of impeaching her may entail some rigorous process, considered as time consuming.
Already, Safana’s death has sealed the hope of the House sitting on Tuesday, following signals of the likelihood of another adjournment of plenary session meant to honour the late Safana.
The House could not sit last Thursday to formally adjourn in honour of late Safana as members stayed away from the National Assembly, preferring to mourn their departed colleague individually, while majority of members travelled to Katsina for his burial.
The Special Adviser to the Speaker on Media, Mrs. Funke Egbemode, in a chat with Sunday Tribune dismissed the idea of impeachment of the Speaker, stressing that the death of Hon. Safana had introduced a new dimension to the thinking of the warring parties in the House.
The Speaker’s aide said the question of impeachment would not arise; neither would anyone toy with the idea of asking her to step aside, disclosing however, that contrary to general impression, both sides of the divide have started initiating peace moves to resolve the crisis of confidence among them.
Egbemode said, “No one is asking for impeachment of Madam Speaker and no one will ask her to step aside when they meet next week. The death of Safana has shocked them (warring parties) out of their wits and anger.
“I can tell you that they have both been talking and exploring several means of coming together to find a common ground for the resolution of the crisis in the House, since they were all shocked by the death of Safana and are now looking for the quickest way out.
Meanwhile, a member of the Integrity Group, Hon. Chide Nwogu, from Imo State, dismissed the idea of compromise between the opposing groups, stressing that the Speaker had no alternative than to resign forth with.
Nwogu said members of the House were more than before resolute to ease Etteh from the Speaker’s seat, contending that the persistent anarchy in the House within the past two weeks had even caused more of Etteh’s supporters to withdraw their support.
The lawmaker said he was confident that the crisis in the House would be finally resolved before the end of Thursday.
Nwogu, however, averred that the House would slip into greater violence at the insistence of Etteh to remain the Speaker, as according to him, the opposition group had finally gained an upper hand.
Sunday Tribune learnt that members of the opposition had got the required numerical strength to push Etteh out of office in the light of the contract scandal, disclosing that he was shocked to realise as of Friday evening the number of his colleagues whohe said had signed for Etteh’s impeachment.
There were indications that members of the House in general had started looking beyond Etteh, having commenced intense search for her successor among the contenders in the South-West.
There were different caucus meetings held at the weekend in Abuja at different hotels and the Apo legislators quarters all, according to feelers, highlighting the issue of possible successor with intent to determining who among the contenders to support.
Indications that the race for Etteh’s successor has commenced merged with moves by some of the contenders to open offices meant to serve as campaign secretariats, even as they had reportedly started canvassing for support among their colleagues.
The race for Etteh’s successor has been intense among legislators from Osun, Ogun, Ondo and Oyo states. In Osun State for instance, the likely candidates include Hon. Wole Oke, Hon. Leo Awoyemi and Hon. Olugbenga Onigbogi.
Those being touted as possible Etteh successors from Ogun State include Hon. Kayode Amusan, Hon Dimeji Bankole, and Hon Dave Salako, while Hon. Adeseun Ayoade and Hon Festus Adegoke are being touted as interested in the speakership race from Oyo State. Apart from Hon Alaba Ojomo from Ondo State, no other person has signified interest in being Speaker.
Idowu Samuel, Abuja
Sunday Tribune
Sunday, October 21, 2007
