Minority leadership tussle: Gbajabiamila won’t succumb to pressure, suspend us ― Hon Chinda

The controversy trailing the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus in the House of Representatives took a new dimension ahead of the conclusion of an investigation by the Committee on Ethics and Privileges.

Reports obtained by Tribune Online showed that the Committee on Ethics and Privileges recommended the suspension of the four lawmakers who were being accused of breaching the extant Standing Orders of the House.

The lawmakers include the leader of the PDP Caucus, Hon. Kingsley Chinda; Deputy Leader, Hon. Chukwuma Onyeama; Caucus Chief Whip, Hon. Yakubu Barde and Caucus Deputy Whip, Hon. Muraina Ajibola.

While reacting to the trending media report, Hon. Chinda who expressed concerns over the purported plans to suspend him and three other lawmakers expressed optimism that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila would not succumb to the pressure to suspend him for playing his role as leader of the main opposition party.

“We have met with the Speaker and had some frank and amicable discussions. I am shocked to hear that this issue is resonating. I don’t think the Speaker will concede to suspending us from the House for signing and asking that the constitution of the Supreme Court Panel to hear Presidential Petition should follow the laid down precedent of seniority or speaking on behalf of PDP Caucus of the House. No, the Speaker won’t do that.

“The Speaker won’t even push for the suspension of a member from parliament for any reason whatsoever, talkless of a cooked up, flimsy and hollow reason. The Speaker is very knowledgable in parliamentary practice and a lawyer, he knows it’s unconstitutional to suspend an elected member and he had stood against it in the past, I don’t think he will change his stand now.”

While noting that the planned suspension of the lawmaker was unconstitutional, Hon. Chinda urged the three other lawmakers adopted by the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) to prepare for eventualities bearing in mind the horse-trading in the politics in the Green Chamber.

“Anyway from hindsight and the level of horse-trading in politics and the House, in particular, I advise my other three colleagues to brace up for the worst.

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“If we are suspended via a majority vote in the House, then I pity the parliament and parliamentarians because it means no member will have an independent opinion anymore. A bad precedent would have been set.

“I’m very sincerely, indifferent about the suspension because I know that it is an unconstitutional act and cannot stand the test of the law. Yes, I hear some people say when it’s done, we can go to court and they will frustrate the litigation with money for next three years and we will remain outside the parliament but I’m not worried about all that.

“We only pray for divine wisdom and favour in everything we do, I am very sure it will end well,” Hon. Chinda stressed.

One of the lawmakers privy to the workings of the Committee on Ethics and Privileges told Tribune Online anonymously that: “The Committee on Ethics has already come up with its report and as most of us predicted from the day Hon. Igbakpa brought that motion calling for an investigation, we knew the aim was to suspend Chinda and that is exactly what the committee is recommending. All that is left to be done is for the committee chairman to lay the report and for the House to consider and adopt it.

“I’m not sure. This is probably the first time this sort of thing will happen.

“While the speaker may have started it, it is now beyond him. He is now being pressured to suspend them. They are only pushing the Speaker to champion a battle that is not his. The party, PDP, can’t do anything because the governors are divided and some of them are even pressuring Femi to suspend them,” the lawmaker noted.