The House of on Thursday made U turn to hear motion by the House Minority leader Ndudi Elumelu calling for the resignation of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Isa Pantami
The House Spokesman Benjamin Kalu in a statement said “the the lower chamber will hear Rep. Elumelu’s Call for Pantami’s resignation when it is properly presented before it”
Recall that Rep. Ndudi Elumelu had on Wednesday raised a matter of privilege asking the House to call for resignation of Isa Pantami following his comment subscribing to the islamist group Al-Qaeda, Taliban and Bokoharam sect throwing his weight behind them.
Rep. Elumelu had questioned the rationale behind the Ministers comment owing to his position in the country with consequences on security Architecture of Nigeria.
He had asked the speaker to rule that the minister be asked to vacate his seat following the sensitive position he is occupying.
The Minority leader who cited Order 6(1) said: “My privilege borders on one of the serving ministers called Sheikh Ali Ibrahim Pantami.
“He’s the honourable Minister for Communication and Digital Economy for the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The portfolio he currently occupies gives him the free latitude to administer, coordinate and manage flow of sensitive information within and outside the shores of Nigeria.
“There has been insinuation that he has direct links and personally subscribe to the extreme Islamic beliefs of Al-Qaeda, Taliban and Boko Haram sects.
“Recently, while the Minister was answering questions during his Ramadan lecture at Anum mosque, a few days back, he owned up to the fact that he took extreme positions in support of the brutal exploits of Al-Qaeda and the Taliban out of ignorance, claiming that he was young when he did that, but now he’s mature.”
” My worry is that I’m a serving member of this Chamber and for the past few days, I’ve been inundated with calls from my constituents claiming that if it is right for this House, that they’ve always seen talking about insecurity, to sit on this floor and tolerate the fact that a serving Minister where there are allegations of him becoming a member of Al-Qaeda or Boko Haram owned up and said he did whatever he did because as at that time because he was a youth.”
” And he is still serving in this administration. Mr Speaker, I feel that it will be out of place for me to sit here and allow this Chamber not to speak about it and totally call for his resignation or suspension. This is my submission, Mr Speaker.”
In his ruling, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila who observed that the Minority Leader’s observation came under the wrong Order, said: “Thank you Hon Elumelu. I think he came under the wrong order.
“Your point of order is well noted. But you know we don’t debate such issues if it comes under order of privilege, thank you.”
Spokesman of the House Bamjamin Kalu APC said the misrepresentation of facts for the sake of sensationalism has necessitated this statement of clarification.
He said “For the avoidance of doubt, the House is guided by the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives (House Rules) in its operations and administration”
” In this case, the Minority Leader should have known better than to present such an issue for debate via Order 6 of the House Rules which only applies to Legislative Privileges”
“He ought to have come under Order 8 Rule 4, as a matter of urgent national importance, or via a motion on notice to enable other members second the motion and make their contributions through debate in true democratic fashion, after which the House would be able to take a position on the issue.”
“It is therefore pertinent to inform Nigerians that the House has not acted in error, but in line with the provisions of its rules.”
“All insinuations that the House did not allow democratic debate to take place on the important issue of Pantami’s resignation are simple untrue.”
“As always, the House stands ready to give audience to Rep. Elumelu or any other member of the House on this issue, provided that such audience is sought through the proper channels and brought under the relevant rules of the House” .
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