DIMEJI BANKOLE: THE BOY IS DOING IT

By Michael Egbejumi-David

A couple of months ago, it was reported that Dimeji Bankole, the Speaker of the House of Representatives was bundled out of a “stakeholders’ meeting” by Ahmadu Ali, the now happily former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).  As the Speaker of the House, Bankole automatically becomes a member of all major organs of his Party: the National Executive Committee, National Working Committee, National Caucus and Board of Trustees; but still, he was thrown out by Ali who told him that he doesn’t belong.  Disturbingly, Yar’Adua was also at that meeting and did not utter a single word!  Anyway, when I read that report, I knew Bankole must be doing something right. 

If we recall, Bankole was elected as the Speaker of the House of Representatives in November 2007 following the Humpty Dumpty-like fall of one Ms Patricia Etteh.  Most House of Representatives members recognised that the House needed to be properly deodorised following the stench and hairspray left behind by Etteh.  However, the PDP leadership did not want Bankole.  Initially, they asked Etteh to nominate her own successor!  When the Legislatures walked out on their Party leadership for suggesting something so stupid, the Party leadership then sponsored George Jolaoye of Osun state for the post.  Well, the rest is now history as Bankole was elected with 303 votes to Jolaoye’s 20.  Ali and the PDP leadership never forgave Bankole for this.  Bankole reported for work and picked up the gavel for the first time. And before he could strike it on the block, text messages were making the rounds that he did not do the mandatory (for a person his age) National Youth Service.  The text message concluded with a line that he was a “chronic bachelor.”  In short, PDP leadership don’t want him.  He appears too cerebral and too “together.”

But it is said that you could tell a man by the company he keeps.  It will similarly hold true that you could tell the measure of a man by who his enemies are.  When you have people like Ali, Obasanjo, Adedibu and Oyinlola saying they don’t like your face; something must be right about you.

Perhaps because of all of this and a very sound education, thankfully, the House of Representatives is today ticking over very nicely.  All of the good initiatives and deeds emanating from the National Assembly lately have their origin in the House of Representatives.  In the five months that Etteh presided over the affairs of the House, not one legislative or government business was achieved.  Yar’Adua couldn’t even present his annual budget.  At best, Ms Etteh attended a few international forums where, unfortunately for her, she was required to speak.  Every time that happened, she manfully but mercilessly disembowelled the English grammar.  I think it actually got to a point that the news media stopped reporting her visits because how many times can a cameraman cringe without messing up the shot.  Happily, those days are now behind us.

Bankole was the Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Finance in the previous legislative term.  In that role, he was very active and was singularly instrumental in sorting out the thorny monetary abracadabra as put together by Obasanjo.  For instance, in the 2004 budget, he detected a total of N100 billion lying loose in OBJ’s draft. Also in the 2005 Budget, he and his team blew the whistle on a counterfeit Appropriation Act, re-populated with new figures after the National Assembly approved one had been passed to the President for his assent. Now in 2008, Bankole’s House of Representatives it was that straightened out Yar’Adua’s crooked 2008 national budget and gave it some measure of functionality.  They started off by combing through the 2007 budget and finding in the end about N450 billion of unspent monies.  This was put to good use in sprucing up the 2008 version.  Similarly, when Yar’Adua revealed that Obasanjo wasted $10 billion on the energy sector with nothing to show for it, it was Bankole that put out the correct figure which was $16 billion.  He said this was determined by successfully tracking the budget for that Ministry for eight years.  Currently, a Committee of the same House of Representatives is doing a very commendable job in unravelling and, at least, letting the world know how Obasanjo and Liyel Imoke frittered away Nigeria’s money.

Furthermore, earlier this month Bankole had to block the appointment of one Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa as the Clerk of the House of Representatives.  Why did he do this?  It turned out that in “federal character” practicing Nigeria, the Clerk of the National Assembly is Alhaji Nasir Arab.  The Clerk of the Senate is Alhaji Umaru Sanni.  Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa has no iota of experience in legislative functioning.  He was supposed to replace Mr Niyi Ajiboye another senior Civil Servant who has been acting in that role since 2006.  Bankole had to write to the Clerk of the National Assembly to inform him that the National Assembly Service Commission did not comply with Section 310 (1) and (2) of the nation’s Constitution.  Bankole maintained that Mr Niyi Ajiboye who is from Kwara State be confirmed as Clerk.

Also this month, Bankole boldly stated that the vision 2020 target is dead in the water unless the government starts to put the requisite infrastructures in place now.  He also repeated his determination to ensure that funds allocated for infrastructural development are tracked from appropriation to execution.  To that end, quite a few House members have been sent on further training in order to increase the House’s capacity to effectively carry out its monitoring and oversight function.  Furthermore, a National Assembly Budget Research Office is being setup.  You see why Ali and co don’t like him?

Just yesterday (18 March 2008), Bankole dissolved the 72 Committees of the House he inherited from Ms Etteh.  He had adroitly left the Committees to carry on the way they were for more than four months.  It turned out that some House members belong to as many as eight Committees!  The idea is to properly restructure and reconstitute the Committees during the Easter break.  He has directed leaders of the main political parties in the House to submit the names of their floor members to serve on the new Selection Committee.  This is a complete departure from what was the norm, whereby the Selection Committee was populated by Principal Officers of the House.  He said he is determined to ensure that round pegs were put in round holes – a complete opposite of what Obasanjo would do, you might say.  The House would also at the same time be reviewing its Standing Orders.  To that end, it has called for memoranda from members.  When asked why this was being done at this time, he responded: “the more reason this is happening now is because the direction of the House now requires a level of competence.”  This is a nice way of saying that the House under his Speakership would place competence and productivity above everything else.

In the meantime, across the road is the Nigerian Senate led by gentleman David Mark.  Even roaches scurrying across the floor generate more activity than Mark’s Senate.  Just like Yar’Adua’s Federal cabinet, the Senate has gone into total hibernation.  Not a peep is heard from there.  And this is neither a recent phenomenon nor a result of Mark’s electoral troubles.  The last we heard anything from that body was when it pretended to be screening Ambassadorial nominees during which even Ahmadu Ali scaled through effortlessly.  I suppose there are no furniture allowances to share or haggle over.  What is self evident is another glaring example of the effectiveness of the right type of leadership.  It is like beholding the EFCC when it was headed by Nuhu Ribadu and the ICPC as led by … by …. Hmm.  Please who heads the ICPC? 

Surely anyone looking at the House of Representatives in the last couple of months or so would come away with an initial positive impression and can’t fail to see some vibrancy there.  What is on view would seem an evidence of clear, focused and – more importantly - purposeful leadership.  The House of Representatives in the past never had that.  Ken Nnamani provided a teasing glimmer of it in the later stages of his Senate Presidentship.  Bankole seems to be driving it forward in a forceful and effective manner.  We can only hope that he continues like this and not loose the impetus any time soon.  Perhaps he would rub off on some of our other leaders.

I say more grease to his elbow.

demdem@hotmail.co.uk

Robot  Villager

# 1 DIMEJI BANKOLE: THE BOY IS DOING IT ...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 20.03.2008 08:53

Lagos Boy  Villager

# 2 As far as the eye can see Dimeji appears to be doing his job, which is rare for a public office holder I'm looking forward to the effective monitoring of the implementation of the 2008 budget The managers of Nigeria's economy should benchmark against their most successful counterparts in private enterprise (home and abroad). Accountability & Transparency are key components towards successful governance Posted by Lagos Boy| 20.03.2008 10:07

Son of the Delta  Villager

# 3 Dimeji is going to mess up big time. Posted by Son of the Delta| 20.03.2008 21:18

WaleAkin  Villager

# 4 =Son of the Delta;4294997886>Dimeji is going to mess up big time. Why? Why is your mind so clinically blackened? Is it bcos he is not from your geo-political zone? Posted by WaleAkin| 20.03.2008 21:29

denker  Villager

# 5 Dimeji is going to mess up big time. SOD Why? Why is your mind so clinically blackened? Is it bcos he is not from your geo-political zone? WaleAkin, Bushman WaleAkin aka confused man, do not embellish SOD's comment by injeting tribal coloration to it...SOD did not make any move in dat direction... i'll repeat it again, you're a blatant true B-a-s-t-a-r-d-son of your father, Obasanjo, the biggest Thief in Naija..now you go to HELL, foolish creature!:evil: Posted by denker| 21.03.2008 07:44

Lagos Boy  Villager

# 6 =denker;4294997962>WaleAkin aka confused man, do not embellish SOD's comment by injeting tribal coloration to it...SOD did not make any move in dat direction... i'll repeat it again, you're a blatant true B-a-s-t-a-r-d-son of your father, Obasanjo, the biggest Thief in Naija..now you go to HELL, foolish creature!:evil: Guys please lets keep this objective While I do not see why anyone would wish a key public officer like the Speaker ill luck I would also not want to attribute that view to tribalism As far I know Dimeji has the training and skills to run a successfull tenure as Speaker. I wish him well for the simple reason that it will bebefit all Nigerians for us to have good governance (except for the few who wha have raped and robbed this country) Imagine that the National Assembly is actually able live up to expectations and successfully monitor the proper implementation of the '08 budget. Imagine that this feat is repaeted for another 3 years. There would be significant improvement in all key sectors of national life including health, education, infrastructure, agriculture etc Once again lets keep this objective while we demand and expect nothing less than the best Posted by Lagos Boy| 21.03.2008 14:12

WaleAkin  Villager

# 7 =denker;4294997962>WaleAkin aka confused man, do not embellish SOD's comment by injeting tribal coloration to it...SOD did not make any move in dat direction... i'll repeat it again, you're a blatant true B-a-s-t-a-r-d-son of your father, Obasanjo, the biggest Thief in Naija..now you go to HELL, foolish creature!:evil: I STINK BETTER, I see that you cant do without me on this board: this would have been a plus but since you are a misplaced son of a demented father who copulated with your mother, a senior Ayangba of Empire hotel, i'd suggest that you go find your own level pls. You are such a silly being who needs serious psycho help before you begin chop A4 papers plus plywood! Bye for now, elder brother to a randy goat................. Posted by WaleAkin| 21.03.2008 15:01

denker  Villager

# 8 =WaleAkin;4294998112>I STINK BETTER, I see that you cant do without me on this board: this would have been a plus but since you are a misplaced son of a demented father who copulated with your mother, a senior Ayangba of Empire hotel, i'd suggest that you go find your own level pls. You are such a silly being who needs serious psycho help before you begin chop A4 papers plus plywood! Bye for now, elder brother to a randy goat................. ..WaleAkin, the son-of -a-B-I-T-C-H, at last you have confirmed dat your mother, a daughter of a Vulture slept with a GOAT to give birth to a He-GOAT called WaleAkin... now i understand why you are a useless creature...dimwitted animal dat has absolute nothing to contribute to mankind and must be forced to commit a suicide to save us of his miserable existence...go and fu-ck your MOTHER..the she-Goat and the concubine of the biggest THIEF in Naija, OBASANJO...foolish Naijaman!:evil: Posted by denker| 21.03.2008 18:26

Ranter  Villager

# 9 From the points you raised about speaker Dimeji, I can only hope he succeeds.In Nigeria we have very many individuals with skills. training and determination to get things done. People who wake up 2 hours before they had to get out bed,thinking about how best to further the cause.But time without number we have seen these individuals not reach their well intentioned goals because in their path a lot of obstacles lies in the form of human beings,bureaucracy and wrong due processes. We can only hope that Bankole becomes steadfast and persevere.Things can only get better because I dont think it could get any worse.You dont rise faster enough except your feet touches the floor of pool. Wale and Denker,Barack Obama calls what you guys are doing on this thread 'Distractions'.I thought this part on NVS is where we pretend to be adults and comment on the articles. Posted by Ranter| 22.03.2008 03:32

WaleAkin  Villager

# 10 =denker;4294998214>..WaleAkin, the son-of -a-B-I-T-C-H, at last you have confirmed dat your mother, a daughter of a Vulture slept with a GOAT to give birth to a He-GOAT called WaleAkin... now i understand why you are a useless creature...dimwitted animal dat has absolute nothing to contribute to mankind and must be forced to commit a suicide to save us of his miserable existence...go and fu-ck your MOTHER..the she-Goat and the concubine of the biggest THIEF in Naija, OBASANJO...foolish Naijaman!:evil: LOL! Attention disorder Syndrome Pikin, I have succeded in working you up seriously hence the reason why you conjure colours Blue/Red/Black just to give a simple response! This is just the 4th day of my tirade with you and all ur arsenal is expended, i cant see any new stuff in your abuse towards me and thus it has become boring, so why the continued need to engage you? I like strong Men who will start up something, maintain the tempo to the end no matter whose ox is and/or will be gored but its disappointing and utterly shocking to note that you are still a feather weight in this regard. On a serious note, seek medical advice, a host of villagers cant be wrong on your worrying state of mind: We cant be too far from what we exhibit on the pages of the web. For this reason, this matter is closed! THE END Posted by WaleAkin| 22.03.2008 06:02

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