Reps in rowdy session over Bankole’s alleged N10bn loan

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Dimeji Bankole, narrowly escaped suspension on Wednesday as lawmakers moved to probe a N10bn loan he allegedly took on behalf of the House.

Amid a rowdy session, the House resolved to give him 24 hours (up till today) to explain the circumstances under which the loan was taken and the projects it was expended on.


The official bank of the House, United Bank for Africa, had reportedly withheld the second quarter allocation of all 360 members of the House and the emolument of the 11 re-admitted legislators owing to the indebtedness.


Bankole was not at Wednesday’s sitting which was presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Alhaji Usman Nafada.


Nafada had ruled in support of a decision by lawmakers to defer Bankole’s suspension till they had heard his defence on Thursday (today).


The suspension was intended to allow the House to set up an ad-hoc committee to investigate the allegation without interference from the Speaker.


According to a motion sponsored by Mr. Dino Melaye, all other principal officers have claimed not to be aware that Bankole took any loan on behalf of the House, neither do they know his purpose for taking the loan.


He informed the House that after a painstaking investigation by the 11 suspended and re-admitted legislators, it was discovered that the House was broke.


Melaye, who is among the 11re-admitted legislators said, “Though the Central Bank of Nigeria duly released the statutory allocation for the payment of allowances for members, the bank (UBA) holds onto our money because of the indebtedness”, he told the House.


Melaye consequently moved for the constitution of an ad-hoc committee to “investigate the finances of the House.” He noted that one of the questions to be answered was how the Speaker alone got the loan without the approval of the House.


The Kogi State-born lawmaker also said the House must be told what the money was spent on, “especially now that all members were made to suffer for the action of the Speaker.”


On the emolument of the re-admitted 11 members, Melaye informed his colleagues that though “our money was kept in a suspense account while we were on suspension,” cheques were later issued on the directive of the House leadership.


He, however, told the lawmakers, who listened with rapt attention, the “ cheques disappeared one after another.”


Each of the 11 re-admitted legislators is being owed an estimated N120m of accumulated allowances since June 2010.


On the other hand, each member of the House is entitled to about N28.9m official allocation per quarter.


When salaries and other perks are added, each lawmaker takes home close to N15m per month.


Melaye also recalled that the House was adjourned “illegally” on Wednesday last week in breach of Order 4 (2) of the Standing Orders of the House without any explanations by the leadership.


He said, “Again, today (Wednesday), the doors to the chambers were locked against us, forcing members to wander about in the lobby.


“The closure of the doors must be investigated; we want to know on whose orders members were locked out and denied access to perform their duties.”


As tension mounted in the chamber, Nafada quickly tendered an apology on behalf of the House leadership for last week’s adjournment, which he admitted was in breach of procedure.


He also apologised for the manner lawmakers were locked out on Wednesday, explaining that when he arrived at the lobby of the National Assembly and saw lawmakers “hanging around”, he directed that the doors should be re-opened immediately.


“On the issue of our money, we will try and pay it immediately. Have confidence in us. I promise to see the speaker today (Wednesday) about the issue,” the deputy speaker added.


He then directed the Clerk of the House (Mr. Sani Omolori) “to liaise with the finance department to expedite action on the payment of the money of the 11 members immediately.”


However, shouts of “when?”, “when?” rent the air.


A member from Bauchi State, Mr. Abdul Ningi, backed Melaye’s motion, describing the allegations as “weighty matters that need answers.”


He said, “No principal officer is in the position to explain what has happened. The appropriate official (Bankole) who is the head is not around. The House should as a matter of urgency, find answers to these matters.


“We need to hear the story and the mystery behind the loan; therefore, let the Speaker come tomorrow by 10am to address these issues.”


Another member of the House, Mr. Friday Etulah, observed that in the spirit of fair hearing, “let us suspend putting a question to Melaye’s motion till the speaker has appeared before us.”


He added, “As a matter of fact, we demand the speaker’s appearance tomorrow (today).”


Mr. Independence Ogunewe also contributed to the debate, saying Omolori, as the chief accounting officer of the House, should “submit lucid explanations and details of what transpired.”


Ogunewe added that time was of essence in dispensing the issue, as the House had only seven sitting days left before the expiration of its tenure.


Before Wednesday’s session, lawmakers were locked out for unknown reasons for about one hour and 35 minutes.


The development angered many Reps, with some walking away.


The Chairman of the House Committee on Gas Resources, expressing disgust over the issue, said, “This House has fallen. If by 2pm tomorrow(today), the chamber is still locked, the House has fallen.”


Another member, Ehogie West-Idahosa, said that he no longer understood how the House was run these days.


Members like Leo Ogor and Musa Adarwere were also embittered that the doors to the chamber were locked.


Security agents, who guarded the doors, had advised the lawmakers to go to the office of Nafada “where your colleagues are holding a meeting.”


It was not until 2.43pm that the doors were re-opened, while the session started at 3.35pm.

Posted: at 12-05-2011 12:24 PM (13 years ago) | Gistmaniac

The man is begging now that he knows there is no 2nd term for him.
That small boy got power drunk. He should be dealt with accordingly.

Posted: at 13-05-2011 12:47 PM (12 years ago) | Newbie

Cunny man die, cunnie man bury am. Infact, ds is a case of smart guy wey die 4 cunnie man backyard

Posted: at 13-05-2011 05:22 PM (12 years ago) | Newbie

If found guilty, not only suspension but jail

Posted: at 14-05-2011 04:20 AM (12 years ago) | Gistmaniac

the ai's have it.

Posted: at 5-06-2011 12:55 AM (12 years ago) | Gistmaniac