Nigeria Content Online

Members
of the House of Representatives from the six states in the South West
geo-political zone are reportedly divided over the alleged moves by
some members of the House to remove the Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, from
office.

This is just as the
leadership of the House, at an executive session yesterday, appealed
for calm. Members of the Nigeria First Forum (NFF), a pressure group in
the lower legislative chamber, were alleged to have initiated a plot to
unseat Mr. Bankole, who is currently stranded in London as a result of
the volcanic ash which halted flights across Europe.

NFF, according to reports, is moving against the Speaker over financial impropriety and poor leadership style.

The group has
since denied the plot, though it admitted that its members are not
happy with the way the Speaker is administering the House.

Deputy Speaker,
Usman Nafada, had dissolved the House into executive session for 45
minutes, during which the alleged threat to remove Mr. Bankole was
discussed.

Although Mr.
Nafada had announced after the session that the lawmakers discussed the
approach to be adopted on the constitution amendment and Electoral Act,
it was gathered that some members complained about the Speaker’s
leadership style, saying it has put the House in a bad light.

Among the issues
raised were that of the 2010 Budget and the leadership’s handling of
the political crisis in the country, which they claimed would have done
a lot of damage to the lower legislative chamber.

Peace emissaries

Mr. Nafada was said
to have appealed to the aggrieved lawmakers for understanding and
assured that all the issues they complain about would be addressed.

The deputy speaker
also told them that Mr. Bankole has been sending emissaries to some of
the lawmakers asking them to wade into the matter with a view to
resolving it.

Some of the
aggrieved lawmakers were said to have complained that the 2010 Budget
was doctored, even though the entire House had passed the document on
the floor.

Our source said
that but for the quick dissolution into executive session some minutes
after its resumption from the three week Easter break, the members had
planned to come up with a motion on vote of no confidence on Mr.
Bankole.