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Two of the
suspended members of the House of Representative; Ehiogie Idahosa (Edo
State) and Olugbenga Onigbogi (Osun State), were, on Tuesday, recalled
after more than three months of suspension. The duo, and nine other
members, were suspended for asking the Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, to quit
on allegation of fraud.

The members had
asked for Mr Bankole’s removal, accusing him of misusing funds budgeted
for the House’s capital expenditure in 2009, which amounted to N9
billion. On June 22, an agitation for the Speaker’s removal led to
violence which left two members injured. The leader of the group, Dino
Melaye, and five are challenging the suspension in court.

The House announced
on Monday that it will review the orders on individual basis on
conditions that the affected members quit litigations, and tender
apology. Messrs Idahosa and Onigbogi, who were both absent during the
violent session, turned themselves in for internal probe by the House
Ethics and Privileges Committee.

Their excuses

Mr Onigbogi said he
was away in India on June 22, 2010 and was not part of the events,
while Mr Idahosa said he “now understood every house has rules.” Mr
Idahosa, who is serving his third session in the house, told the
committee that since 1999 he has been a member, saying “the house has
trained me, I have enjoyed it and it has supported and exposed me by
giving me capacity.” Both members apologized before the committee,
according to the report, and have withdrawn their court actions,
standing down their allegations that Mr Bankole misused the money. As
the reports came up for consideration yesterday, they were promptly
cleared, and asked to resume sitting today where they are expected to
tender a public apology.

Mr Melaye, Solomon Awhinawhi, Bitrus Kaze, Doris Uboh, Annas Adamu,
and Independence Ogunewe have retained their challenge in court, and
have denied allegations of leading for pardon form the house
leadership. They expect a ruling November 15, 2010. The committee said
three other members of the group, Gbenga Oduwaye and Kayode Amusan, and
Austin Nwachukwu, have waived their rights to court action and last
week offered to be investigated. Weeks after the suspension, the House
Ethics Committee, which also investigates corruption allegations
against its members, promised it will probe the N9bn charge against the
speaker. No reports have been made on that.