Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila Thursday announced chairman and deputy chairmen of 102 Standing Committees of the House.
Some of the members known to be allies to the Speaker clinched most significant committees.
They included Hon. Muktar Batara who the chairmanship of the Committee on Appropriations and Hon James Faleke who was named Chairman for Finance.
Hon. Abdulrazaq Namdas who was the chairman, Committee on Media and Public Affairs in the 8th Assembly was named to head the Committee on Army.
Similarly, Gbajabiamila’s lone opponent in the speakership election, Hon. Mohammed Bago was named the Chairman, Committee on Cooperation and African Integrations.
Bago’s former Committee, Maritime, Safety and Education in the 8th Assembly is now being headed by Hon. Lynda Ikpeazu, a staunch supporter of Gbajabiamila.
Committee on House Services was given to Hon. Wale Raji to head.
Also, Hon. Onofiok Luke, a former Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and first-timer to the House was named to head Committee on Federal Judiciary.
Similarly, Hon. Benjamin Kalu from Abia State was named Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs just as Hon. Darlington Nwokocha also from the State was named Chairman, Committee on Insurance.
Hon. Nicholas Mutu of the PDP was named Chairman of Committee on Gas Resources.
Hon. Tunji Ojo was named Chairman, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC while Hon. Wole Oke heads Public Accounts Committee, PAC.
However, Hon. Kingsley Chinda from Rivers State and Hon. Chukwuma Onyenma from Anambra State who were the candidates of the PDP from minority leader and deputy minority leader were shut out of the committee portfolios.
It will be recalled that in the 8th Assembly, Chinda chaired the Public Accounts Committee while Onyenma was the deputy minority leader.
In the same vein, Hon. Tajudeen Yusuf of the PDP who headed Committee on Capital Markets in the 8th Assembly got nothing this time.
He is a notable ally to Chinda and die-hard PDP member.
Against expectations that the Director-General of the defunct Gbajabiamila/Wase Campaign Organization, Hon. Abdulmumuni Jubril would be compensated handsomely, he was not named for either the chairman or deputy chairman of any of the committee.
Recall that he headed the Finance and the Appropriations Committees respectively in the 7th and 8th Assembly.
But speculations were rife that he is being projected for the Director-General position of a federal agency.
Meanwhile, the House adjourned plenary for its annual vacation to resume on September 17, 2019.
Briefing Journalists at the end of the plenary, the Chairman, Committee on Media and Public Affairs pledged commitment of a good relationship between the House and Media.
“We will like to work with you to help the public understand the workings of the National Assembly. I am aware that before joining the National Assembly, it was difficult for me to get to know the workings of the National Assembly.
“You are aware that there are so many misconceptions about the National Assembly. It is my duty and your duty to make sure that the public gets to know better.
“I want to assure you that my doors will be open. We are going to make your job as easy as possible to make sure you deliver and on our own part, we will deliver”, he said.
VANGUARD
