Amid calls for the adoption of open ballot system in the election of presiding officers of the Ninth National Assembly, two lawmakers said Standing Rules of the House of Representatives cannot be discarded on inauguration day.
Representatives Rimamnde Shawulu (PDP-Taraba) and Kehinde Agboola (PDP-Ekiti) disclosed this, yesterday, in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Abuja.
Shawulu said any attempt to change the House of Representatives’ Standing Orders in the Ninth Assembly election, without following due process, would be an aberration.
The lawmaker, who got re-elected in the February 23 National Assembly poll, said promoters of open ballot election were not well informed.
“Let them come from outside and amend the rules now. President Muhammadu Buhari said he could not assent to the Electoral Act because it was too close to the 2019 general election.
“Now, we have some weeks to the election and you want to amend how leadership is elected. That is double standards; it doesn’t make sense,’’ Shawulu said.
The lawmaker, who is chairman of the Committee on Army, however, said the rules would have to be amended in the Lower Chamber; before anyone could talk about open ballot.
“The rules are already set; any member, who wants the rules amended, can bring the motion to the floor of the House. And, if it is passed, it becomes law, but now, the rules of the House have been there since 2011.
“The same rules that led to the emergence of Aminu Tambuwal were the same rules that led to the emergence of Yakubu Dogara.
“So, there has been no reason to change it, but, if anyone thinks it should be changed, he can bring the proposed amendment,’’ said the lawmaker representing Takum/Sons/Ussa/Special Area federal constituency.
He pointed out that the rule, which was clearly written out, “is about secret ballot.
Corroborating Shawulu’s remark, Agboola said adopting open ballot “would amount to shifting a goal-post in the middle of a football match.
“We have never voted in the House with open ballot. So, we will not take that; they can’t dictate to us.
“Unfortunately, some of the new members, too, do not even know how it works.
“When we were coming in, the Standing Order had already been produced for the Eighth National Assembly.
“We have produced the one they will use. Anytime it is produced, there is no tension.
“So, you cannot just change the rules because you want a particular candidate at any cost.
“If you are popular, why are you afraid? Why didn’t they opt for Option A4 for the 2019 election?
“That means you want to victimise the members; it means you want to impose a candidate on us. It cannot work,’’ he said.
According to the lawmaker, who was also re-elected, under the Order 3 Rule F (1) of the Standing Order of the House; “When two or more members-elect are nominated and seconded as speaker, the election shall be conducted as follows: one, by electronic voting; or two, voting by secret ballot, which shall be conducted by the Clerk and…You will see the list of members-elect of the House, who shall each be given a ballot paper to cast their votes with the proposer and seconder as tellers,’’ he added.
He said the tellers are the people who would act as agents, to take attendance of members and give them ballot papers to cast their votes.
“So, you cannot now change it because you are backing a particular candidate. It is not possible,’’ he insisted.
Explaining further, Agboola said if the number of contestants were more than two people, “and nobody is stepping down, election would be conducted until the contestants are reduced to two, so that the winner will emerge by 51 per cent.’’
He said the election was not won by simple majority where the contestants were more than two people.
According to him, all the aspirants are currently engaging in behind-the-door discussions why one will have to step down for another considering regional, gender and religious factors.
Agboola, who represents Ikole/Oye Federal Constituency, stated that “the Order Paper of the House incidentally takes effect from the day of the inauguration.
“And, on the first day of the parliament, Order 2 stipulates people that can vote.
“When it is time for the election of the presiding officers, it is stated there that before any member-elect can take an oath, he will first of all vote after the accreditation,’’ he said.
According to him, the Clerk will first read out the Proclamation letter from the president for the inauguration of the Ninth Assembly.
“Everybody will sit down with his Certificate of Return. When everything has been certified, members-elect would be arranged in alphabetical order of states.
“And, after the roll call, before the swearing-in, the Clerk will preside over the election of the speaker and the deputy speaker. It is after you have finished with the election, before members-elect can be sworn in.
“So, if you have not been sworn in, you cannot even talk because no other motion shall be taken except after this,’’ he explained.