October 16, 2007
ETTEHGATE: Logjam continues at the House of Reps as Speaker refuses to step down, pro-Etteh lawmaker collapses and dies.
The Nigeria's lower legislative chamber went into a deadlock for the second day as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Patricia Etteh refused to resign her position due to earlier corruption indictments against her.
The house resumed today after a short adjournment yesterday as members opposed to her continued stay in office staged protests and stalled a planned debate of a panel report which accused the speaker of corruption in the award of contracts for the renovation of her official residence. The cost of renovation put at N638 million were approved without due processes and laid down procedures.
At the resumed hearing today, Mrs. Patricia Etteh refused to vacate her seat so that a temporary speaker could conduct the debate, she insisted that she was eligible to judge her own case. Her stubbornness led to a second day of rowdy session and total chaos in the house. As at the time of filing this report Saharareporters was reliably informed that the house did not come to order and therefore could not debate the panel reports.
House of representatives leaders said they had earlier agreed to resolve the issue of her stepping down so that a "Speaker Pro-tempore" can take her place by tomorrow when house activities resume, but Mrs. Patricia Etteh reneged on the agreement and staged a carnival-like entry to the chambers today. Our reporters in attendance of today's sitting contend that there doesn't seem to be any truth in the majority support from House of representatives members standing by her as claimed by the Speaker and her supporters, which include former president Obasanjo and his erstwhile former domestic assistant, Emmanuel Andy Uba.
Meanwhile, tragedy struck at the house of representative today as a member of the house who was part of Speaker Etteh's carnival upon her defiant entry to the chambers died of congestive heart failure. 46 years old Aminu Shuaibu Safana was a member of the PDP representing Batsari/Danmusa/Safana Federal Constituency in Katsina State, he suddenly fell ill during the rowdy session and was pronounced dead at the National Hospital few minutes later.
The announcement of his death did nothing to move the speaker from her seat until members shouted on her to leave the chambers to honor the dead member.
The Nigeria's lower legislative chamber went into a deadlock for the second day as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Patricia Etteh refused to resign her position due to earlier corruption indictments against her.
The house resumed today after a short adjournment yesterday as members opposed to her continued stay in office staged protests and stalled a planned debate of a panel report which accused the speaker of corruption in the award of contracts for the renovation of her official residence. The cost of renovation put at N638 million were approved without due processes and laid down procedures.
At the resumed hearing today, Mrs. Patricia Etteh refused to vacate her seat so that a temporary speaker could conduct the debate, she insisted that she was eligible to judge her own case. Her stubbornness led to a second day of rowdy session and total chaos in the house. As at the time of filing this report Saharareporters was reliably informed that the house did not come to order and therefore could not debate the panel reports.
House of representatives leaders said they had earlier agreed to resolve the issue of her stepping down so that a "Speaker Pro-tempore" can take her place by tomorrow when house activities resume, but Mrs. Patricia Etteh reneged on the agreement and staged a carnival-like entry to the chambers today. Our reporters in attendance of today's sitting contend that there doesn't seem to be any truth in the majority support from House of representatives members standing by her as claimed by the Speaker and her supporters, which include former president Obasanjo and his erstwhile former domestic assistant, Emmanuel Andy Uba.
Meanwhile, tragedy struck at the house of representative today as a member of the house who was part of Speaker Etteh's carnival upon her defiant entry to the chambers died of congestive heart failure. 46 years old Aminu Shuaibu Safana was a member of the PDP representing Batsari/Danmusa/Safana Federal Constituency in Katsina State, he suddenly fell ill during the rowdy session and was pronounced dead at the National Hospital few minutes later.
The announcement of his death did nothing to move the speaker from her seat until members shouted on her to leave the chambers to honor the dead member.
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