Leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has released a
statement denying claims that he is working with sacked chairman of the
House committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin to unseat Speaker
Yakubu Dogara. Gbajabiamila was in a tight race for the seat of speaker
of the House of Representatives with Yakubu Dogara last year.
statement, which he forwarded as an email only to his colleagues in the
house, comes after a text message from an anonymous number was forwarded
to House members indicting him in the budget padding allegations from
Jibrin. Read his statement and see the text message being circulated
after the cut
the budget controversy that engulfed the House about a week ago, I have
pointedly maintained a dignified silence. I did this for the sake of
the institution I represent and which I have laboured hard to grow and
protect, knowing that whatever I say could be impactful both within the
House and outside it. I was determined to keep in place the glue that
holds an otherwise fragmented House, protect its integrity and at same
time avoid eroding the little confidence and vestiges of hope Nigerians
have in us. I am being dragged into an arena I tried very hard to stay
out of only for the good of the House. The Speakership election has come
and gone. The election was divisive and acrimonious but I have since
worked hard to heal the wounds some of which still fester amongst
members on both sides. It is my responsibility to bring all tendencies
in a House I lead together and I have worked well with the Speaker and
all other Principal officers in a bipartisan manner and in the interest
of the institution and members. It is clear that our budget process
needs radical reform and very quickly too. Yes, allegations have been
made but I strongly believe judgment should not be passed based on
allegations. We operate a constitutional democracy and we must at all
times submit to its dictates and ethos. All parties are innocent until
otherwise proven. This should be our guide. I plead with all members.
The mudslinging must stop. This text message, which desperately seeks to
finger me in some macabre plot to destabilize the House is a throwback
and echoes our dark post Speakership election history. The resurfacing
or resurgence of the faceless text messengers will not help us as a
House and let me quickly add that it will fail. My strongest critics and
biggest political adversaries in the House cannot deny the fact that my
commitment has always been to strengthen the legislature and its
processes and our democracy as a whole. I consider everyone a friend and
colleague and urge that as we collectively work towards a stronger
legislature and strive to deepen our democracy, we do not pull back the
hands of the clock nor lose sight of the enormous responsibility placed
upon us by providence as members of a critical arm of government.”
“Plot
to destabilize the leadership of the House of Reps has taken a new
dimension as the AGF working with Gbajabiamila, Jibrin & SGF has
(sic) drafted charges to arraign and detain principal officers of the
House so that the transparency group who recently met with Tinubu’s wife
will effect a leadership change with Gbajabiamila as Speaker and Jibrin
as Deputy. This is why Jibrin did not mention Femi in his allegations.
The 8th House won’t be anybody’s rubber stamp. We will resist them like
the senate resisted them.”
