JUST IN: Gbajabiamila names House committees chairpersons, loyalists get juicy positions [Full List Attached]

From Jonas Ike, Abuja

…as House proceeds on annual two-month recess

Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila on Thursday announced the names of chairmen and deputy chairmen of standing committees in the House.
TNG reports that unlike the eighth House were the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara announced 96 committees, Gbajabiamila’s led ninth assembly announces 109, adding 13 more committees.
The decision to increase the committees was contained in a report submitted by an ad-hoc committee mandated to review the house standing order.

TNG observed that while some returning lawmakers who headed Committees in the eighth Assembly of the House made the list, others did not.

However, In the composition of the new committee, the Speaker’s key men clinched juicy committees such as Appropriation which is chaired by Mukhtar Betara; Finance, James Faleke; Public Accounts, Oluwole Oke; Defence, Babajimi Benson and Army, Abdulrazak Namdas; House Service, Wale Raji; Public Procurement Nasiru Ahmed.

Others are Kabiru Idris Society/ Dev Partners; Ibrahim Dutse Financial Crimes; Aminu Suleiman Tertiary Education; Abu Lardo Information Technology; Darligtin Nwokocha, Information and National Orientation; Hon Prof. J .O Ihonvbere Basic Education and Services, and Nicholas Shehu Anti-Corrution.

Some other lawmakers on the list are: Benjamin Kalu Media/ Public Afffairs; Dolapo Badru Industry; Taiwo Olaga Women I. parliament; Lego Idagbo Land Transport; Ofor Chukwuegbo Water Resources; Jerry Alagboso Public Petitions.

Others are NDDC, Tunji Ojo; NEDC, Khadija Bukar and electoral matters, Aishatu Dukku.

The Speaker also named some lawmakers as members of ad-hoc Committees of the House. Members of the Ad-hoc committee on Works which include Mohammed Golu, Hon. Salihu Bamidele, Hon. Francis Oche and Hon Salihu Bamidele.

Wails of betrayal
TNG reports that following the release of the standing order committees, aggrieved lawmakers within the majority All Progressives Congress (APC) caucus said the Speaker betrayed their trust. A particularly lawmaker told TNG tearfully; Gbaja has done his worst. We rally round him with all the resources at our disposal and he dare pay us back this way? We shall see!”
TNG observed further that the immediate past Speaker, Yakubu Dogara was visibly missing in all of the committees. Similarly the Coordinator of the Gbajamimila’s campaign; Abdulmumin Jibrin was also not given any position. However, unconfirmed reports have it that Jibrin has been penciled down to head a strategic agency for delivering Gbajabiamila as Speaker hence his conspicuous absence on the list.

Meanwhile the House had adjourned plenary to Tuesday September 17, 2019 to observe its two -month long annual recess.

More details later…