Abuja – The Speaker of House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara had been cautioned to be fair in the appointment of House members as heads and members of standing House committees when the House resumes from its current six-week recess on September 29.
House member, Iduma Enwo-Igariwey charged Dogara to rise above political party leanings and ensure fairness in the distribution of House members into the standing committees in a bid to sustain the current peace in the 8th House.
“…if there is unfairness [in committee selection], then you can be sure that all may not be well,” Enwo-Igariwey (Ebonyi) told journalists during press briefing recently in Abuja.
“I draw strength from what the speaker said about being guided by fairness. I want to believe that if the speaker is fair in the distribution of various offices, I think the prediction of doomsayers may not come to pass.
“I have a lot of trust that the speaker will be fair to all manner of people both Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressive Congress (APC).” the lawmaker stated.
LEADERSHIP reports that selection of lawmakers into the committees will present a serious test on how Dogara (Bauchi/APC) settles the several political and regional camps in the House vis-a-vis reported “pre-election agreements” entered before the June 9 speakership poll.
Again, the ‘loyalist group’ in the House which previously resisted Dogara’s speakership ambition are insisting on a right to chair most of the lucrative Standing Committees.
Meanwhie, Enwo-Igariwey urged the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to develop fresh policies to quickly address challenges affecting the country.
The lawmaker said since inception of the current administration, various sectors in the country have not recorded expected changes promised by the APC during campaigns.
“If you look at the economic sector, economists and other commentators will tell you that there hasn’t been any form of policy direction by the administration and it is impacting heavily on virtually every aspect of our economic life.
“You see the economy almost on a free fall; people will tell you that the economy is heading towards recession…We haven’t seen much in terms of policies, direction and bringing in any serious focus on the economic issues that bedevil us presently,” he said.
The lawmaker who canvassed the need for the government to develop new initiatives in fighting Boko Haram, stated that the country was still enjoying the momentum gained by the military in last days of the past administration.
“Even what you think what was synergy with our neighbours, you still find out that was still what was in place under the last administration.”
Speaking on government’s efforts in curbing corruption, the lawmaker said: “Corruption is a structural thing, it is not something you fight by mere talks and if you want to confront it, it is not what you fight with a tainted weapon.”
