Speakership race: No new House Rules – Ihonvbere

The Chairman, House Committee on Basic Education and Services and former Chairman of the Ad-Hoc Committee on the Review of the Standing Order of the House of Representatives, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere has dismissed claims of a new House Rule.

There are allegations that the leadership of the House doctored the House Rules for open voting.

Speaking on the matter, Tuesday, in Abuja, Ihonvbere explained that Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila did not in any way interfere with the process of amending the Rules of the House in 2019.

The lawmaker, who also chaired the House Ad-Hoc Committee on the Legislative Agenda, said that the process of amending the House Standing Order in 2019 was transparent and in line with provisions of the Rules.

The statement read: “Let me state very clearly that I was the Chairman of the ad-hoc Committee that reviewed our standing orders.

“Those that know me can attest to the fact that I adhere to the highest levels of integrity in any assignment I undertake.

“The process was transparent and in line with our Rules.

“Mr. Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, did not interfere once in our deliberations. I never had even a one-on-one meeting with the Speaker throughout the process. The committee finalised its work and it was laid accordingly…the rest is history.

“It is not my wish to take up issues on the merit and demerits of the recommended and approved process. For now, let me state very categorically that the document was not tampered with in any way.

“As democrats, we must all refrain from trying to corrupt, contaminate or compromise the democratic process in any way.”

He further stressed that, “In the document in circulation, it could be seen that the alleged doctored Rule was gazetted as official document of the House over 3 years ago, just as the Votes and Proceedings of the July 25, 2019, shows clearly the decision of the House at the Committee of the Whole on the affected provisions.”