BRIBERY SCANDAL; REPS HOLD EMERGENCY SESSION FRIDAY

SPEAKER, HOUSE OF REP, NIGERIA

WRITTEN BY SAINT MIENPAMO

The House of Representatives is to hold an emergency session on Friday over the $3m cash-for-clearance scandal currently rocking the House.

Members have been asked to cut short their one week break and ensure attendance.

A terse statement signed by the Clerk, House of Representatives, Mr. M.A. Sani-Omolori and made available to reporters on We...dnesday announced the reconvening of an emergency session for Friday, June 15.

The special announcement titled: “Reconvening of the Plenary Session of the House of Representatives,” reads:

“This is to inform all Honourable members of the House of Representatives that the House would reconvene to hold a plenary session on Friday June 15, 2012 at 10am prompt. Honourable Members are advised to take note and attend promptly, please.”

This will be the second time the House would be going into an emergency session. The first time, ironically, was on January 8 when lawmakers cut short their end of year break in the wake of the removal of the fuel subsidy by the Federal Government and which eventually culminated in the setting up of the eight-man panel headed by Farouk Lawan which investigated the fuel subsidy regime.

Friday’s meeting may see the House suspending the Chairman of the ad- hoc panel over the scandal which many members say has brought the House into disrepute.

There has been palpable anger on the side of lawmakers who feel ridiculed by the unfolding bribe-for-clearance saga, with many asking that Lawan be made to answer for his actions.