WE WON’T VACATE OUR SEATS, SAY DEFECTING PDP REPS

• APC appeals judgment
• PDP wants affected lawmakers replaced
MEMBERS of All Progressives Congress (APC) caucus in the House of Representatives Tuesday rose from an emergency meeting with the resolve that no member of the party would vacate his seat based on the directive of an Abuja High Court judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola.
Also, the national secretariat of the opposition yesterday ordered its National Assembly members to ignore the decision by the court ordering them to vacate their seats.
Meanwhile, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State has enjoined the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to initiate the process of electing replacements for the federal lawmakers who defected to the APC.

REPS REJECT CBN GOV, SANUSI LAMIDO SANUSI’S SUSPICION

ABUJA-MEMBERs of the House of Representatives have rejected the suspension of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN Governor, Mr Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.
Also apparently embittered by what legislators perceived as selective implementation or non-compliance with its resolution against some public officers over corrupt practices, the House has mandated its committees on Justice, and Legislative Compliance to compile all resolutions that have indicted any public officer for which President Goodluck Jonathan refused to act, and request the president to act on them immediately.
The Presidency Thursday suspended the apex bank boss in a statement signed by the Media and Publicity Adviser to the president Dr Reuben Abalti.
The house resumed plenary at about 11.05am and the second legislative business of the day was a motion under matters of national importance titled: Suspension of the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi sponsored by Rep Samson Osagie, PDP, Edo state.

COURTS STOPS HOUSE FROM CHANGING ITS LEADERSHIP

A Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, stopped the House of Representatives from changing its leadership pending the determination a suit filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seeking to restrain the lower chamber from altering the composition of its leadership.
Justice Adeniyi Ademola, who stalled the move to alter the composition of the House leadership, directed parties in the suit to maintain the status quo.
The suit has the House of Representatives, it’s Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, the Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha, other principal officers and its former members who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as defendants.
While ruling on whether to hear the objections filed by the defendants before the main suit, Justice Ademola ordered that the objections would be heard with the originating summons.

OKONJO-IWEALA TAKING NIGERIANS FOR GRANTED — HOUSE

The House of Representatives Committee on Finance on Saturday said the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, was taking Nigerians for granted.
The committee said this in a statement by its clerk, Farouk Mustapha, in response to comments credited to Okonjo-Iweala in some newspapers.
Okonjo-Iweala reportedly said she would need time to respond to the 50 questions given to her by the committee.
The relationship between the minister and the committee turned sour last month when she was given the 50 questions to answer.
But on Saturday, the committee said it was awaiting the minister’s response to the questions.

APC TAKES OVER REPS NEXT WEEK

. Gbajabiamila to emerge deputy speaker
• Leo Ogor may retain deputy leader position
Leadership change is rife, as the House of Representatives resumes from its yuletide break next week.
The House and the Senate are expected to resume on the 14th of January.
The Green Chamber in a whirlwind of change on Wednesday, December 18th, 2013 recorded a higher number of lawmakers for the opposition All Progressives’ Congress (APC) against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which had controlled the Senate and House for 13 years. As soon as the change crept in, inter-party fireworks commenced with the PDP dragging the 37 members that crossed to APC to Court.
The jilted party has asked a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to declare the seats of the defecting lawmakers vacant. But a restraining Order countering the prayer of the PDP, has sustained the defectors, who are set to re-jig the leadership of House.

HOW APC PLOTS TO TAKE OVER HOUSE OF REPS

Progressives Congress (APC) has reportedly mapped out a plan to ensure smooth take-over of the leadership of the House of Representatives, following its merger with five aggrieved governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP).
Members of the lower chambers of the National Assembly elected on the ticket of the PDP from the said five states, who had been operating on the platform of New PDP (nPDP), also formally became members of APC, by virtue of the merger, on Tuesday.
Though seven PDP governors of Adamawa, Rivers, Kano, Sokoto, Kwara, Niger and Jigawa began the merger discussion with APC leadership, Niger and Jigawa governors dissociated themselves from the merger when it was announced on Tuesday.
A top source involved in the merger also disclosed to the Nigerian Tribune that the new development would ultimately give APC a simple majority in both chambers of the National Assembly and would be explored to take over the leadership of the House of Representatives, while the plan was reportedly to leave the Senate leadership intact for PDP.

REPS MOVE TO ALLOW PUBLIC OFFICERS OPERATE FOREIGN ACCOUNTS

A bill seeking to allow public officers operate foreign bank accounts passed second reading at the House of Representatives on Wednesday.
Under the extant Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, 2004, it is criminal for a public officer to operate a bank account outside Nigeria.
The bill that passed second reading on Wednesday sought to amend this law “so as to make the leave of the Bureau necessary for a public officer to maintain or operate a bank account outside Nigeria.”
One of the supporters of the bill, Mr. Bamidele Faporusi, argued that the current law was “weak and ineffective”, as no public officer had been successfully prosecuted for flouting it.

ANTI-TAMBUWAL PLOT THICKENS

There was anxiety yesterday among members of the House of Representatives, following reports that anti-Speaker Tambuwal lawmakers were collecting signatures as part of steps to move against the House leadership.Each signature was said to be attracting N2.5million.
The cash went to PDP members, who believe in the need to effect change in the House.
It was gathered that a member of the Aviation Committee and a member of the Special Duties Committee were the coordinators of the cash inducements.
A suite was hired in a posh hotel in Abuja to dish out the cash to members.
When our correspondent visited the hotel, he observed that House members were trickling in one after the other between 2pm and 5.30pm.

FIGHT BREAKS OUT AT HOUSE OF REPS AS BARAJE, 7 GOVS MEET LAWMAKERS

A meeting between the seven governors of the new Peoples Democratic Party faction, and members of the House of Representatives has ended after fighting broke out.
The governors, alongside the chairman of the faction, Abubakar Baraje, met first with senate president, David Mark.
A follow up meeting at the House of Representatives with Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, and members of the House, degenerated into chaos with supporters of the Bamanga Tukur-led PDP jeering at remarks made by Mr Baraje.

ASK RMAFC TO SLASH OUR WAGES –REPS

The House of Representatives said on Wednesday that complaints about the jumbo pay of Senators and members of the House should be referred to the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, which fixed the salaries and allowances of lawmakers.

The House noted that the lawmakers’ wage was computed by RMAFC after it considered several factors and took a decision on what should be the pay package, based on the powers conferred on it by law.

Deputy House Majority Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor, who spoke on the controversial huge pay of federal legislators said members were always amazed whenever critics attacked lawmakers over the pay package as if they fixed their own wage.

“We are tired of responding to the same issue every time; our explanations seem to be falling on deaf ears.

REPS SEEK SOLE POWER TO IMPEACH PRESIDENT

ABUJA — A Bill seeking absolute powers to solely initiate and execute impeachment proceedings against a sitting President to rest with the National Assembly Tuesday, scaled second reading on the floor of the House of Representatives.

The Bill is intended to amend section 143 of the 1999 Constitution.

Debate on the general principles of the Bill appeared as several members were of the opinion that it was not necessary.

PLANS TO EASE PRESIDENT, VP’S IMPEACHMENT BEGINS

…as Reps move to amend constitution

A Bill already gazetted by the House of Representatives and exclusively obtained by Sunday Mirror is in the works, to make the procedure for impeaching President and Vice-President less tedious and easier.

The Bill is short-titled “An Act to Alter the Provisions of Section 143 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Remove Ambiguities in the Process of Removal of the President and the Vice President from Office on Allegations of Gross Misconduct.”

US REFUSES VISA TO UNRULY REPS MEMBER

HE arrived at the Consular office of the United States in Abuja last week in a flowing agbada, bearing his self-importance on his lapel. By the time he left, however, a member of the House of Representatives from the South West cut a pitiable sight: He had been denied visa.

That was after he had banged tables and engaged consular officers in a hot argument, consular sources confirmed to the Nigerian Compass. He had also issued several threats against the consular official who had demanded proof of his claim that he is a member of the federal legislative body.

TAMBUWAL RESHUFFLES COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN, REMOVES FAROUK LAWAN

Months after the embattled former chairman of the House Committee on Education and chairman of the ad-hoc committee on fuel subsidy, Farouk Lawan, was suspended as chairman of both committees for alleged involvement in bribery, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has finally stripped him of the positions.

Lawan had been suspended following allegations from businessman, Mr Femi Otedola, that the lawmaker collected thousands of dollars from him to doctor the report of the adhoc committee in favour of his companies.

REPS OKAY IMMUNITY FOR LAWMAKERS

The House of Representatives yesterday took a step further in its constitution review by passing for second reading a bill seeking to amend the 1999 constitution to grant immunity to legislators in the country.

The bill, sponsored by Hon. Ali Ahmed (PDP, Kwara), is titled “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) by providing immunity for members of the legislature in respect of the words spoken or written at the plenary session or at committee proceedings, to guarantee that freedom of speech, debates and proceedings in Legislative Houses are not impeached or questioned in any court or place out of parliament and for related matters.”

REPS MOVE TO UNRAVEL STATUS OF N2TR ASSETS SEIZED BY EFCC

A CLEAR picture of the status of over N2 trillion assets seized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to emerge as the House of Representatives has mandated a committee to carry out a thorough investigation into property confiscated by the anti-graft agency.

The House, which tasked the Committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes to conclude the assignment within two weeks, adopted a motion on the matter introduced by Toby Okechukwu and 15 other members who expressed the need for proper management of the assets.

Leading the debate on the motion, Okechukwu informed the parliament that the EFCC had between 2003 and 2010 confiscated over 200 mansions estimated to be over N2 trillion through 46 forfeiture court orders.

REPS REJECT PROPOSAL TO PAY UNEMPLOYED GRADUATES

THE House of Representatives Wednesday rejected a bill, which sought to make provisions for monetary incentives for unemployed graduates in the country.

The proposed legislation, titled: “A Bill for an Act to amend the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) Act, Cap. N28 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, by creating specific functions and objectives for the Directorate to specifically cater for unemployed graduates of tertiary institutions,” failed to scale second reading when it was put to vote by the Speaker, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has also endorsed a bill seeking to overhaul the Consumer Protection Council.

FRESH CRISIS LOOMS IN HOUSE OF REPS OVER MEMBERS’ PAY

As the National Assembly tries to wriggle out of the budget padding feud with the Presidency, a fresh round of crisis is looming in the House of Representatives following allegation by some aggrieved members that the leadership has short-changed them in the payment of their salaries and allowances.

The aggrieved members of the House of Representatives,  who spoke to Vanguard last night, accused the leadership of trading with their salaries and allowances since the inception of the current 7^th session of the NASS.

REPS MOVE TO BAN USE OF FOREIGN CURRENCIES

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Say it’s wrong for dollars, others to be freely used in Nigeria

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* Why Excess Crude Account is not designated in dollars — CBN

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* MintS earned N2 billion in 2012

The House of Representatives, yesterday, moved to ban the use of foreign currencies in local and domestic transactions in Nigeria. This was sequel to a motion brought to the floor of the House by Hon Nadu Karibe, representing Bayelsa State.

Karibe who led the debate had argued that “every country has its currency which serves as a means of exchange, a symbol of identity, a source of pride and a sign of independence and economic stability.”

DUD CHEQUE: EFCC ARRAIGNS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday arraigned the Chairman, House Committee on Internal Security, Hon. Aliyu Gebi , for issuing dud cheques of about N120.5 million, to his lender.

Gebi is representing Bauchi Federal Constituency on the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change.

He was arraigned on a 13-count charge before Justice Abba Bello Muhammad of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, sitting in Apo, Abuja.