House Throws Out Motion On Yar’Adua

San Francisco Feb 03, (THEWILL) – Members of Nigerian House of Representatives on Wednesday voted against a motion which would have given President Umaru Yar’Adua a two-week ultimatum to write the National Assembly so that the Vice President can assume full executive powers.

The motion, which was sponsored by Hon. Mohammed Sani Abdul (ANPP), threw the House into a rowdy session; with the pro Yar’Adua group led by House Speaker, Dimeji Bankole and the pro Constitution group led by Femi Gbajabiamila.

During the House session, Abdul asked the House to explain why the members the lawmakers selected to visit the President in Saudi Arabia have not departed on their mission. Responding to Abdul’s query, leader of the delegation, Babashehu Agaie told the lawmakers that they got their visas on Tuesday.

Before the House put the motion to vote, only a few members were allowed to address the Assembly. Those that spoke include: Ike Chimwo (PDP); Igo Aguma (PDP); Henry Dickson (PDP); Femi Gbajabiamila (AC); Mohammed Sani Abdul (ANPP) and James Idachaba (PDP); Mohammed Ali Ndume (ANPP); and Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.

Pundits had expected the House to tow the line of the Senate who passed a resolution last week urging the President to issue the necessary communication, so that the Vice President can assume full executive powers.

However, there were speculations, which THEWILL has not been able to independently verify that hundreds of millions of naira exchanged hands between members of the President’s kitchen cabinet and many members of the House, particularly the leadership of the House.