| Fresh plot to unseat
Reps Speaker
From JAMES OJO, Abuja
Sunday, July 5, 2009
| |
Dimeji
Bankole
•Photo: Sun News Publishing |
| |
A group of House of Representatives members under the aegis
of the Movement for Positive Change has again queried the
leadership style of the Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, precipitating
fresh moves to unseat him.
For the greater part of last week, members of the group held
wide consultations in what was described as ‘testing
the waters’ after the botched move to remove the Chief
Whip, Emeka Ihedioha, over allegations of mismanaging funds
meant for the celebration of 10 years of democracy in the
country.
Had the campaign to sack Ihedioha succeeded, it would have
paved way for the removal of at least two other principal
officers - the House Leader, Tunde Akogun, and his deputy,
Baba Shehu Agaie - who were similarly accused.
The method adopted by the new group was to sent text messages
to some members, particularly those who have openly complained
about the way Bankole had been conducting the affairs of the
House since he took over almost two years ago.
Some members, especially from the Northern part of the country,
have expressed reservations on the choice of language of the
Speaker on members whenever he presides over sessions.
A copy of the text messages reads: “Noble coliq. Dis
is tym now 4 change in d “House leadership.” We
can’t allow tyrant to continue to lead us. Pls support
d group “Movement 4positive change.” It is tym
4 change. It is tym 4 BANKOLE and cohurts to ‘GET OUT.’
Signd Hon Adul Ningi.”
Sunday Sun gathered however that Hon. Ningi was not part of
the plot to remove the Speaker as three members, who confirmed
receipt of the text message, vehemently denied that the former
House Leader and now chairman of the Police Affairs Committee
and the Ad-hoc Committee on the Niger Delta was part of the
plot.
“As I talk to you, Hon Ningi is not in the country.
He travelled out of the country as part of the activities
of the Ad-hoc committee on Niger Delta Crisis, which he chairs.
He cannot be part of any plot to cause heat in the House.
He was our leader before and still he is enjoying that support
we gave him,” one of the members who confirmed receipt
of the text message said.
Not leaving anything to chance, the South West Caucus, which
is the home base of the Speaker, met during the week to brainstorm
on how to neutralise the plot.
Although the meeting held inside the chamber after session
on Tuesday was not well attended, members still pledged to
“rally Bankole against the whiles” and agreed
to lobby their colleagues from other zones to reject any recruitment
aimed at destabilising the House.
It was also resolved that a delegation would meet with the
Speaker upon his return from his trip outside the country.
Contacted, head of the Speaker’s media team, Kayode
Akinmade, confirmed the circulation of the text message.
He however said the Speaker was unruffled, as those behind
the plot could not muster the courage to come out in the open
to be counted.
“I cannot pretend not be aware of the text (message)
that some faceless members are sending across to members.
We are not bothered because the senders are faceless. Let
them come out so that we can see the stuff that they made
off.
“Even then, we are not sleeping. We have investigated
the source of the text message and found that the SIM card
used to send the message was bought for that purpose. I think
after it was sent to some members, it was removed and destroyed.
So we are waiting,” Akinmade said.
|
