…Uncertainty over Ndume, Jibrin’s fate

From Kemi Yesufu, Ndubuisi Orji and Fred Itua, Abuja

Issues relating to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and environmental challenges across the country will dominate legislative business in the House of Representatives, as the chamber resumes after eight weeks recess, today.

Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Publicity, Abdulrasak Namdas, disclosed this in a telephone interview with Daily Sun, yesterday.

Namdas said the House, apart from taking a holistic view of issues concerning IPOB, would also look at other security challenges across the country.

He said the House will also look at the issues relating to the economy.

Furthermore, the House’s spokesman said the lower chamber will equally intensify work on pending bills as well as step up in other legislative duties.

Meanwhile, there is uncertainty over the fate of suspended member,  Abdulmumuni Jibril.

Jibrin, a former chairman of the Committee on Appropriation, was suspended for  180 legislative days last September in the wake of the budget padding saga which rocked the lower chamber last year.

However, Namdas said Jibrin’s resumption would not be automatic. He said the suspended lawmaker must fulfill all attached conditions, before he can be re-admitted.

The House’s spokesman explained that when a suspended member serves out his or her suspension,  the member is expected to initiate a process to be re-admitted after fulfilling all the conditions for his readmission.

Names could not confirm if Jibrin has either apologised to the House or initiated steps to be re-admitted.

Jibrin had alleged that SpeakerYakubu Dogara, his deputy, Yussuff Lasun,  Majority Whip, Alhassan Doguwa, Minority Leader, Leo Ogor and nine committee chairmen illegally inserted fictitious projects into the 2016 Appropriation Act. He was subsequently suspended, based on a recommendation from

Efforts to reach Jibrin for comments were unsuccessful, yesterday.

Regardless, the House may swear in Dorathy Mato, who is replacing sacked member representing Benue State’s Vandeikya/Konshisha Federal Constituency, Herman Hembe.

Hembe had filed a motion on notice, where he asked the Supreme Court to reverse its judgement. He described the judgement which ousted him from the House as “an accidental slip.”

He was sacked on June 23, 2017, by the apex court, in a judgement delivered by Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen,wherein Mato was declared the authentic winner of the March 28, 2015, Senate poll.

Meanwhile, Senate has highlighted some of its legislative priorities as it resumes from its annual recess today.

In a statement signed by the Chairman of the Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Sabi Abdullahi, the chamber will look to prioritise passage of the three petroleum industry bills that are at the committee stage; social justice bills, including the Jungle Justice Bill;  Occupational Safety Bill and the Existing Vacancies Bill; and “work to ensure that senators present the views of their constituents after the recess meetings and consultations.

Also, suspended senator representing Borno south, Ali Ndume, is expected to officially resume next week, Daily Sun has gathered.

Ndume was suspended by the Red Chamber on March 27, 2017, sequel to the adoption of recommendations of its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions that Senate President, Bukola Saraki, was on a vengeance mission against the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (retd).

He also urged the chamber to probe alleged certificate scam which involved Senator Dino Melye. The committee absolved Saraki and Melaye of both allegations.