| I’ll open up
on contract award, Etteh assures Nigerians
By LUCKY NWANKWERE, Abuja
Tuesday,
September 18, 2007
 |
•Mrs.
Patricia Etteh
Photo: Sun News Publishing |
| |
Embattled speaker of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Patricia
Etteh has promised to open up on the N628 million contract
award currently rocking the house "at the appropriate
time".
The speaker who accompanied the visiting chairman of the British
House of Commons Committee on Home Affairs, Mr. Keith Vaz
on a courtesy visit to President Umaru Yar’Adua at the
Presidential Villa, Abuja told State House correspondents
that she had no option in the matter than to say all she knows
about the issue.
She said she had kept quiet on the issue all this while because
as a leader she believed that what is going on was not good
for the legislative arm of government, expressing regrets
that her colleagues championing the matter chose to make it
public rather than take it up with the appropriate committee
of the house that handles such issues.
"I decided not to talk because I believe that what is
going on is not good for the legislative arm of government.
I believe that we have a committee that is saddled with that
responsibility and I believe that my colleagues should have
at least reported me to the appropriate quarters, but now
that I have been taken to public opinion, I have no choice,
I will talk at the appropriate time", she stated.
As the speaker of the House of Representatives, however, she
said she was concerned about the reign of peace and harmony
among the legislators and as such would not join issues with
some of her colleagues, pointing out that she would moderate
her utterances "not because of me but because of the
institution".
Etteh, accompanied by her deputy, Alhaji Babangida Nguroje
said she needed the support and co-operation of all her colleagues
to succeed in office and for democracy to thrive in the country,
adding that she would, therefore, not be party to anything
that would rock the boat of our democracy.
"For me to start apportioning blame, I think it is not
right because I need all of them. I need everybody on board
to make sure we sustain this democracy and at the same time
we support this government so that at the end of the day,
we have something to take back home to those who voted for
us. They expect a lot of things from this government and I
don’t want to be part of the people that will rock the
boat", she further pointed out.
In this regard, she hinted that she had opened discussion
with those championing the matter adding that she was certain
that the matter would be amicably resolved and the house would
emerge from it better united and focused.
"I can assure you that even the aggrieved members, we
are talking together and I am sure that at the end of the
day, the House of Representatives will be a shining example
of what it used to be in the past", she added.
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