Sharing of the spoils has commenced. Speaker of the House of Reps,
Yakubu Dogara, has announced the top men who will be Chairmen and Vice
Chairmen of the 96 House standing Committees, but without any name for
the Ministry of the Niger Delta Affairs yet.
In the new Committee heads, Speaker Dogara’s key men clinched the juicy Committees such as:
Appropriation which is chaired by Abdulmunin Jibrin, Rima Shawulu Kwewum
heads Army, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Aviation, Zakari Mohammed, Basic
Education, Chike Okafor, Healthcare Services and Aminu Shehu Shagari
Federal Judiciary.
Also not left out were the core supporters of the House Leader, Rep.
Femi Gbajabiamila as they were also compensated with juicy committees
such as Customs headed by James Faleke, and Rufa’i Chachangi as the Vice
Chairman of the committee, Sani Zoro heads the newly created Internally
Displaced Persons, IDP and Garba Muhammed as the committee chairman on
Solid Minerals.
There was also a balance between the ruling APC and the opposition PDP,
as the ruling party heads 48 of the Committees, PDP got 45 while APGA
and the Social Democratic Party, SDP got one slot each.
In the composition, the South heads 46 Committees while the North heads 50.
The House of Reps also compensated the South East APC members as the two
members Chike Okafor and Austin Chukwukere were made chairman
Healthcare Services and vice chairman Finance respectively.
Despite the lobbying and bickering among members to head juicy
committee, only six members retained the position they headed in the 7th
assembly.
Those who retained the headships of their previous committees are:
Jones Onyeriri, Banking and Currency, Nkeiruka Onyejiocha, Aviation,
Nnenna Ukeje, Foreign Affairs, Mohammed Munguno, Agriculture, Shehu
Shagari, Judiciary, Nicholas Mutu, NDDC, and Aminu Suleiman, Education.
It was also surprising that one of the key men of the Speaker like Rep.
Nnanna Igbokwe was neither considered for chairmanship position nor vice
chairman.
The new committees announced by the Speaker were Agricultural Colleges
and Institutions chaired by Linus Okorie, Basic Education and Services,
chaired by Muhammed Zakari, and Delegated Legislation which is headed by
Simeon Arabo.
Others are FCT Judiciary, Laori Kwamoti, Health Institutions, Betty
Apiafi, IDPs Refugees and Initiatives on North East, Headed by Sani
Zoro, Insurance and Actuarial Matters, Olufemi Fakeye, and Tertiary
Education and Services which is chaired by Aminu Suleiman.
Reactions are expected from some of the ranking members who have lost out in this arrangement.