House of Representatives, yesterday, adjourned plenary to Tuesday, next week, amid allegation that Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila forged the standing rule to ensure Tajudeen Abass emerges as his successor.

The Clerk, Yahaya Danzaria, in a notification to the lawmakers, explained shift of proceedings from yesterday to next week, saying it was intended to allow members participate actively in the ongoing induction programme of the 10th National Assembly.

However, some aggrieved lawmakers, who are against the emergence of Abass, believe there was more to the adjournment than met the eye.

They claimed they were taken aback by the newly introduced amendment that “every member shall name clearly and in the open the candidate of his choice” as against previous provision that prescribed voting through open secret ballot.

“This is a deliberate plot to coerce and force members to vote for the establishment’s candidate. The idea is, if you oppose Abass, you will be marked for one punitive measure or the other. This is undemocratic and we shall resist it,” one of the lawmakers, who pleaded anonymity, said.

However, Julius Ihonvbere, who chaired the adhoc Committee on Review of the Standing Order, faulted claim that the rule was forged.

He said: “For the records, anyone insinuating the House rule was forged to allow open voting is either ignorant of what the members of the House of Representatives passed at plenary on Thursday, July 25, 2019.

“Let me state very clearly that I was the chairman of the ad-hoc committee that reviewed our standing orders. Those that know me can attest to the fact that I adhere to the highest levels of integrity in any assignment I undertake. The process was transparent and in line with our rules.

“Mr. Speaker did not interfere, once, in our deliberations. I never had even a one-on-one meeting with the Speaker throughout the process. The committee finalised its work and it was laid accordingly. The rest is history.”

He added: “It is not my wish to take up issues on merit and demerit of the recommended and approved process. For now, let me state very categorically that the document was not tampered with in any way.

“As democrats, we must all refrain from trying to corrupt, contaminate or compromise the democratic process in any way.”
MEANWHILE, aggrieved senators are regrouping to stall the controversial zoning arrangement of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The plot aims to prevent the emergence of Senators Godswill Akpabio and Barau Jibrin as Senate President and Deputy Senate President.

One of the senators, who asked not to be named, faulted decision by the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, to micro-zone the seats to Akwa Ibom and Kano State, respectively.

They accused Tinubu of denying other contestants the privilege of an open contest, which he enjoyed in the build up to the presidential poll.

One senator-elect from the South-South argued that imposition of a National Assembly leadership amounts to breach of the Constitution.

Another lawmaker expressed dismay over the development, wondering why Tinubu refused to toe the line of President Buhari, Northern governors and the APC, which resolved to zone the presidency to the South, in the spirit of fair play and justice to all persons angling for the presidency at the time.

He noted that Tinubu would have stood no chance of becoming President-elect if the seat was micro-zoned to the South West geopolitical zone.

He said: “We won’t be cowed to do the bidding of the President elect. As a matter of fact, we already have our own candidates, whom we are sure, will work in the best interest of Nigerians.

“To say the least, we are confident in the joint ticket of Senator Yari and Orji Kalu. Either of them is good for any of the two positions.”