From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
House of Representatives has said that the speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, is not under external influence or pressure over the appointment of chairmen and deputy chairmen of House Standing Committees.
The House, in a statement by the deputy chairman, House Ad-hoc Committee, Media and Publicity, Ikenga Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere, said the Selection Committee, saddled with the task of constituting House Standing Committees, will discharge its duties fairly without any external influence.
Ugochinyere, who is also the member representing Ideato Federal Constituency of Imo State, dismissed reports that the House leadership is under external influence and pressure over the composition of the standing committees as false.
He assured that the leadership will fathom in the interest of the 360 members in the selection of chairmen and deputy chairmen of standing committees in the 10th assembly.
“I assure you, the reports going around social media that the leadership is under external influence or pressure over appointment of chairmanship, deputy chairmanship of its standing committees are false. It’s not true at all.
“Mr Speaker, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen had last month constituted a Selection Committee to recommend members for appointment as members of House Standing Committees. The Selection Committee, which is headed by him, has one member each from the 36 States. The committee members are competent and they are doing their job with fairness and justice in mind.
“10th House led by Hon. Tajudeen Abbas is carrying the interest of 360 members, in the selection of lawmakers that will head the various committees or be Members. So I appeal to the masses to disregard any report of external influence or pressure, and allow the committee members do their job,” he stated.