•Minister: Action unwarranted, unfortunate
Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The House of Representatives has passed a vote of no confidence on Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Kayode Fayemi and his Minister of State, Bawa Bwari.
The House passed the verdict after the duo were absent at a sectoral debate on Ajaokuta Steel Company organised by the chamber.
Lawmakers described their absence as a slight on the Legislature.
The chamber also directed Fayemi to halt to any plan to concession the company, until the committee submits its report.
However, a motion calling for a warrant of arrest against Fayemi and Bwari was not taken, as Speaker Yakubu Dogara said with the vote of no confidence, there was no longer any need for any arrest warrant.
Apart from Fayemi and Bwari, others absent at yesterday’s sectoral debate were Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun and the sole administrator, Ajaokuta Steel Company, Abdul-Akaba Sumaila
However, Dogara said Adeosun sent words that she was in Kaduna for an official engagement and would be at the House for the debate by 4:00pm.
Chairman of the Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Abdulrasak Namdas said with the vote of no confidence, the Green Chamber will not have anything to do with Fayemi and Bwari “as far as governance is concerned.”
After opening formalities at yesterday’s plenary, tDogara had asked that Fayemi and other invited guests be ushered into the chamber.
However, when the speaker noticed that nobody from the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development was present at the debate, Dogara expressed surprise that neither Fayemi nor Bwari honoured the House’s invitation and proceeded to read correspondences between the House and ministry on the sectoral debate. According him, a letter, which he personally signed, was sent to the ministry on February 16.
Regardless, Dogara said there was no response from the ministry until February 27, when the Permanent Secretary, Abubakar Muazu, wrote the House, and stated that Fayemi and his minister of state will not be present at the debate as they had other official engagements on that day.
He explained that after they got permanent secretary’s letter, the House wrote again and implored the ministry to ensure that one of the two ministers attends the event.
Speaking on the absence of the ministers, House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila described it as contempt of parliament.
He said the sectoral debate, which was necesitated by the speaker’s recent working visit to Ajaokuta, would have afforded Fayemi an opportunity to clear allegations against the ministry, regarding government’s plans to concession the company.
“That is contempt of this House. This was to give them opportunity for fair hearing. There have been allegations. There seems to be more to it than meets the eyes,” Gbajabiamila said.
Consequently, he moved a motion for a vote of no confidence on Fayemi and Bwari.
In the their contributions, Majority Whip, Alhassan Ado Doguwa and Zakari Mohammed called on the House to take a decisive action against them to whichDogara said it was unfortunate that the entire ministry of Solid Minerals Development decided to boycot this debate.
“It would amount to gross stupidity for anyone to engage in a boxing match with the legislature. Apart from the president and the Vice, there’s no other single official that was elected in the executive. And then, entire members of the parliament are elected representatives of the people, but, if they think they can continue to engage us like this, we can only wish them hardluck.”
But Fayemi, through his Special, Olayinka Oyebode, described the chamber’s action as “most unwarranted and unfortunate….
“Inability of the two ministers to attend the debate was duly communicated to the leadership of the House in two separate letters. One, then, wonders why the House took such a draconian stance against the two ministers who have very cordial relationships with the National Assembly.
It is rather unfair for the House members to categorise the ministers absence as “boycott” when they were adequately notified.