Now that the House of Representatives has put the Ettehgate saga behind it, and with the generally welcomed election of Speaker Oladimeji Bankole, let the people's work begin!
While the crisis lasted, it brought out the good, the bad and the ugly of the crowd in the House. Nigerians never had it such putrefying. Now, dear reps, purify yourselves!
Start with fast-tracking the Freedom of Information Bill. Send it to the president next week! Nigerians are clamouring, and waiting.
Next, tackle the 2008 Budget just presented by the president (which was sadly delayed by Ettehgate!), as if your physical and political lives depend on it! In doing so, revisit and evaluate the 2007 Budget/Appropriation Act for full reporting/accountability.
Be firm: You be da People's Representatives!
Showing posts with label Nigeria's House of Representatives. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nigeria's House of Representatives. Show all posts
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Monday, October 22, 2007
Sit-Tight Speaker, Shameless House!
The Ettehgate scandal has, as they say, claimed its pound of flesh sadly soaked in blood! The sudden collapse and eventual untimely death of Hon Safana, an Etteh supporter, was a rude shock to the nation last week. The nation mourns...
If we ever thought that was enough to jolt the combatants into reality, we were dead wrong and scandalised. These members are less than honourable, and must be politicians from the pit of hell. The House is more fractured and fragmented than ever, and there are now threats and counter-threats about! Nothing seems beyond bounds - not words, not antics.
As for the ruling party, it has lost both morality and control - having unwisely but so typically taken sides in the sordid saga! The presidency had wisely initially steered clear - on grounds of constitutional separation of powers - but failed to prudently invoke da party machinery to avert this compound disaster, convoluted disgrace and collective shame-oozing odium.
This speaker, Mrs Patricia Olubunmi Etteh, has misread, mistaken and mismanaged everything in her bid to outdo and undo her adversaries. Her advisers and supporters have failed her. And the House of Representatives will not be respected by Nigerians for a long time to come!
Well, the least they can do now is for her to step down or be impeached. As her party belatedly said, after Dr Safana had sadly died, she cannot be a judge in her own case. Period.
Meanwhile, no matter what they do or how they go, the anti-corruption and other statutory agencies of government should proceed to open independent investigations into the whole saga.
Let our institutions of governance work.
If we ever thought that was enough to jolt the combatants into reality, we were dead wrong and scandalised. These members are less than honourable, and must be politicians from the pit of hell. The House is more fractured and fragmented than ever, and there are now threats and counter-threats about! Nothing seems beyond bounds - not words, not antics.
As for the ruling party, it has lost both morality and control - having unwisely but so typically taken sides in the sordid saga! The presidency had wisely initially steered clear - on grounds of constitutional separation of powers - but failed to prudently invoke da party machinery to avert this compound disaster, convoluted disgrace and collective shame-oozing odium.
This speaker, Mrs Patricia Olubunmi Etteh, has misread, mistaken and mismanaged everything in her bid to outdo and undo her adversaries. Her advisers and supporters have failed her. And the House of Representatives will not be respected by Nigerians for a long time to come!
Well, the least they can do now is for her to step down or be impeached. As her party belatedly said, after Dr Safana had sadly died, she cannot be a judge in her own case. Period.
Meanwhile, no matter what they do or how they go, the anti-corruption and other statutory agencies of government should proceed to open independent investigations into the whole saga.
Let our institutions of governance work.
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