Saraki, Dogara take c'ttees selection to London
Intense lobby for juicy committees by lawmakers has forced Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki and the Speaker House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara to leave the country for the United Kingdom.
It was gathered that Saraki who left the country was joined by Dogara and the deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu on Tuesday. Saraki is the chairman of the selection committee and Ekweremadu is his deputy. The committee is responsible for the disbursement of specific committees to senators.
It was further gathered that Saraki has been facing intense pressure from senators on the committees allocation.
Daily Trust correspondent reports that last week, the deadline given to senators to indicate the committee of their elapsed.
The selection committee had given forms to senators to indicate their choices of committee.
It was gathered that Saraki is trying to use juicy committees to placate the aggrieved Ahmad Lawan's camp. Lawan was the preferred candidate of the APC but he was surreptitiously defeated by Saraki after conniving with the PDP senators.
But Saraki and Ekweremadu's aides said their bosses went on separate missions. The chairman of the senate adhoc committee on publicity, Dino Melaye did not pick his call when he was contacted for comments on the issue.
Similarly, Saraki and Ekweremadu's aides declined further comments after confirming that their bosses have travelled abroad.
Daily Trust correspondent reports that before proceeding on the six weeks recess, the senators who were inaugurated on June 9, had spent six weeks holidaying. Since inauguration, the legislators have not debated any bill and they only sat 14 times.
For his part, Dogara, who left Abuja for London Tuesday morning, was said to have gone with some of his loyalists. A lawmaker told Daily Trust correspondent that Dogara was to attend an event in London, but added that it was only an excuse as the speaker would use the period of his stay in London to appoint chairmen of various House committee before returning.
The source said Dogara had to move to London to avoid pressure from different quarters both at home and in the office. "Lawmakers always besiege their houses and offices here in Nigeria, so I think that's why they left the country. But it's normal for people who want some favour to follow them wherever they go. Let me tell you, Dogara is a good student of (former speaker Aminu Waziri) Tambuwal. So, they're used to meeting outside Nigeria," said the source.
But another source said the London trip was beyond just constituting committees as former Speaker and Sokoto State Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal is also there with them.
"For all of them to be in London at the same time, it means there is something. I don't think it's a mere coincidence, but let's wait and see whatever it is they're planning. It may be to strengthen their political alliance," a source, who is familiar with the matter, said.
It was gathered that after Dogara left Tuesday, some members of the House who are interested in occupying some key committees' chairmanship had begun trailing him.
A source told Daily Trust in Abuja yesterday that "some members are rushing to obtain London tickets in order to trail the speaker for committees." When contacted, Dogara's spokesperson Turaki Hassan said he was not aware of the speaker's trip to London.
Cloud Tag: What's trending
Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.
Maja Saliu Mustapha Amuda Aluko Shuaibu Yaman Abdullahi Apaola Olatunji Ibrahim AbdulRazaq Jiddah Tsaragi Yinka Aluko Durbar Festival Aliyu Muhammad Saifudeen Suraj Tunji Oyewale Saka Balikis Kehinde Femi Ogunsola Al-Hikmah Radio Emmanuel Olatunji Adesoye Abdulkadir Bolakale Sakariyah Abdulsalam A. Yusuf Yakub Lai Gobir Adama Isa Issa Baba Kola Adesina Kwara Volleyball Association Afin Descendants Union Of Odo-Owa Jimba Babatunde Musa Alhassan Buge Lithium Aishat Sulu-Gambari Modibbo Kawu Eleja Taiwo Banu Emir Of Yashikira Kwara Restoration Project Olaoye B. Felix Nupe John Kehinde Salako NITDA Doyin Agbamu All Confederation Of Principals Of Secondary Schools Federal College Of Education (Special), Afon Tayo Alao Simon Sayomi Shade Omoniyi Olatunji Bamgbola Marafan Shonga Ilesha-Baruba Col. Adedipe Oloruntoyosi Thomas TVC Female National Debate Omu Aran Imam Gambari Bukola Saraki Democracy Day Salihu S. Yaru IYA ALFA NLA Shoprite Adeleke Ogungbe Isiaka Oniwa Mike Omotosho Ayotunde Emmanuel Alao Tescom.kwarastate.gov.ng Mansur Alfanla Muslim Cementary Yahaya Seriki Stephen Fasakin AbdulRazaq Abubakar Jiddah Adamu Attah Abdulkadir Akanbi-Oke Vasolar Consortium Abubakar Ndakene Matthew Okedare Abdul-Rasheed Na\'Allah National Association Of Nigerian Students Toyin Olayinka Tejidini Ladi Hassan Zulu Gambari Abdulquowiyu Olododo QuickWin