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By midnight
tomorrow, the seven-day ultimatum which a group of ten lawmakers in the
House of Representatives gave the Speaker, Dimeji Bankole to resign
would have elapsed.

The ultimatum was
yet another of several plots to dethrone the Speaker by his colleagues
since 2008. Describing themselves as “Progressive Members” of the
House, the representatives told the Speaker to resign or risk being
disgraced out of the office for alleged high-handedness,

corruption and
ineptitude, among other things. They also claimed they have
incriminating documents with which they will nail Mr Bankole if he
fails to heed their advise. But so far, there are no indications that
Mr Bankole is packing his belongings or getting ready to leave.
Similarly, there are no signs that the “warring” progressive members
are planning to extend the ultimatum.

Rather, both
parties are reaching out for new and deadlier weapons to prosecute the
impending battle at the expiration of the ultimatum or, better still,
on June 22 when the House reconvenes from its two week recess. The
young Speaker, reports say, has been holding meetings with loyalists
and aides on how to contain the fresh threat to his office.

It will be one of
the miracles of the new millennium if Mr Bankole agrees to throw in the
towel. Such decisions are not common in this part of the world.
Resignation from office is alien to us. Therefore, the so-called
progressives may be daydreaming if they think that Mr Bankole (though
educated in the climes where leaders resign over such allegations) will
go just like that. The 41-year-old Speaker is enjoying the fame and
wealth that come with that office and it might not matter to him if he
is delivering democracy dividend to his people or not.

Now to the ten
lawmakers: There is a common thread that holds these men together. They
are aggrieved over the reshuffling of committees in the House. Even if
they don’t want to admit that, Nigerians know. Nigerians know that this
struggle is not about bettering their (Nigerians) welfare.

Nigerians know it
is selfish. Yes, they all lost out in the various committee
reconstitutions undertaken by Mr Bankole since 2008.

Independence
Ogunewe, for instance, lost his chairmanship of Aviation Committee and
later that of Cooperation and Integration in Africa.

His constant
battles to regain any of them for close to two years now have not
yielded any fruit. Ehiogie West-Idahosa has been battling to regain his
headship of the Committee on Interior in the last two years. Dino
Melaye lost his Information Committee chairmanship post and all efforts
to retrieve it have proved abortive. Asita Honourable has just lost his
number two seat in the Committee on Anti-Corruption. The others are
equally angry because they have found no place in the committees.

And so, it is
normal that they protest. We have seen that in the past. Close watchers
of the National Assembly in the past 11 years know that two major
things threaten the jobs of presiding officers, whether in the Senate
or in the House. They are issues relating to reshuffling of committees
and lawmakers’ welfare. It is as simple as that. It is not about the
passage or non-passage of bills that will improve the living standard
of Nigerians.

Incidentally, Mr
Bankole, whose head is the most sought after in the country at the
moment, has touched on the two. His refusal to accede to the demand to
increase their allowances to N42 million from N27 million each is an
“offence”. Secondly, in reconstituting some committees two weeks ago,
he sacked some leaders and may still sack some more. It is like
touching the tail of a python.

Long on emotion

Incidentally, the
men asking Mr Bankole to leave office are not long distance runners.
Only last year, Messrs Melaye and West-Idahosa gathered a few lawmakers
to demand the resignation of the House leader, Tunde Akogun; Deputy
leader, Baba Shehu Agaie and the Chief Whip, Emeka Ihedioha for
allegedly pocketing monies they were given to organize some events in
the House.

At some point, Mr
Melaye told newsmen that a total of 241 members had signed up for Mr
Ihedioha’s removal. But on the day the House reconvened, Mr Melaye ate
his word. Even when Mr Ihedioha came by order dealing with privileges,
none of the 241 legislators, including Mr West-Idahosa could speak up.
In fact, Mr Melaye apologized for inducing tension in the House.
Exactly, one year after, the lawmaker is at it again.

Mr Ogunewe and
Solomon Awhinawhi, alongside five of their colleagues, floated a group
known as Transparency Group about two years ago to canvass the exit of
Mr Bankole for his alleged involvement in the N2.3 billion car scam.
Apart from addressing a press conference once, where they made their
demand publicly, there was no concerted action by the group to take
their struggle to the next level.

So, if we go by their antecedent, it is almost certain that this
fresh battle to oust Mr Bankole will fail. But then, maybe they can do
that by the grace of their external sponsors who we hear are bent on
seeing the back of the Speaker whose popularity is reportedly waning by
the day.