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...Read the full article.

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Waoo! was that from Iddo motto park or Onitsha head bridge?:eek::eek::eek::eek:

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HOUSE OF REP BRAWL: THE WOMEN ALSO FIGHT



Etteh’s Probe: Female Reps Fight In Aso Rock
Idowu Samuel and Bola Badmus - 22.09.2007

Culled from Nigerian Tribune Newspaper,

http://www.tribune.com.ng/22092007/news/news1.html

TWO female members of the House of Representatives, Honourables Abike Erewa (formerly Abike Dabiri) and Sadatu Sanni, on Thursday fought at the Presidential Villa (popularly known as Aso Rock) in Abuja over the N628 million contract probe of the Speaker of the House, Mrs. Patricia Olubunmi Etteh.


Erewa and Sanni quarrelled at the Villa when the female legislators were invited for a meeting by the wife of the President, Hajiya Turai Yar’Adua.


The face-off between Erewa and Sanni came a day before Etteh eventually appeared before the House panel probing the contract, saying she had no regrets in the process that led to the award of the contract.


Etteh’s appearance before the panel also coincided with the announcement by President Umaru Yar’Adua that he was awaiting the report of the panel and the call by lawyers and politicians that the lawmakers who fought on Thursday at the venue of the panel’s sitting should be recalled by their constituencies.


Saturday Tribune learnt on Friday that tempers rose at the meeting called by the wife of the president to break the day’s fast when she asked the female legislators what was next in the probe of Etteh. Eyewitnesses told Saturday Tribune that after the president’s wife answered the question, Sanni retorted, “It is all over.”


But Dabiri, after the First Lady left them for a while, reportedly asked Sanni, “Who told you to tell her (First Lady) it is all over?


“What is all over?” Sanni reportedly drew Erewa closer to herself in a harsh manner, asking, “What is not all over?


“What do you expect me to tell her...?” Sources said it took two hefty female legislators to return sanity to the venue of the meeting with the First Lady before she returned.


It was learnt that Sanni later explained the reason for her action, adding, “I must explain and exonerate myself so that people do not leave here and start saying that I have been gossiping.”


At the probe panel headed by Honourable David Idoko on Friday, Etteh said she had no regrets approving the contract. Etteh also said she was not liable for whatever may have been identified as defects in the award of the contract.


She said the management of the National Assembly awarded the contracts. She appeared before the panel with her deputy, Hon. Babangida Ngoruge; the Whip, Hon. Bethel Amadi;and the House Leader, Hon. Tunde Akogun, but elected to speak on their behalf, which they agreed to having all swore on oath.


“I have no regret about what has been written in the papers because I have the belief that truth will come out one day,” she said. Etteh said everything concerning the contract award was transparent and in accordance with due process, adding that she relied on the professional and expert advise given by the management team of the National Assembly led by the Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Nasir Arab.


According to Speaker Etteh, she was not in a position to doubt the integrity of the professionals. Speaking on the issue of the quotations, the speaker said it was normal for letters to come directly to her office, disclosing that she received tons of letters daily.


However, she said such letters were always minuted to those that were meant to act on it as she did in respect of the quotations for the said contracts.


She said that contrary to the insinuation that she initiated the contracts for the renovation, the issue had been agreed upon by the last leadership before she became the speaker.


She also said when she became the speaker, the management also came to tell her what was expected concerning the renovation of the quarters.


She denied that she knew that one of her special advisers, Hon. Iquo Maina, was a director in the companies that won the contracts.


Etteh said she got information relating to that for the first time in newspaper reports. Etteh declared that rather than getting knocks on the contracts awards, she deserved kudos from Nigerians having been able to save a sum of N244 million, which could have gone into hotel bills for 107 days.


Minority Leader, Hon. Mohammed Ali Ndume, Minority Whip, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and deputy minority leader, Hon. Suleiman Abdulrahman Kawu, who appeared earlier before the probe panel maintained that due process was not followed in the award of the said contracts.


According to them, they were all excluded from the meeting of July 12, 2007 where decision to award the contract was taken.
Secretary of the Tender’s Board, Alhaji Mansur Sadauki Yakassai, however, said due process was not followed in the award of the contract as letters of invitation were not issued to the principal officers.


Also on Friday, some lawyers and politicians suggested the recall of members of the House of Representatives involved in Thursday’s fight before the investigative panel on contract awards by the Assembly.


The respondents were intervieved by correspondents of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Friday. Human rights activist, Bamidele Aturu, described the behaviour as “an unnecessary act of pugilism by otherwise decent women and men.


“So I think that those who were responsible for the fight should be recalled by their constituencies.” Chief Dan Nwanyanwu, the National Chairman of the Labour Party, described the action as “shameful.”


He said that the Labour Party believed that N628 million used for the renovation could have given the masses 628 decent apartments.


Mr. Festus Keyamo, a lawyer, described the incident as “colossal embarrassment and disgrace. “It is a shame that those who have tried justly on the ground of democracy are only engaged in disgraceful act.


“I condemn the show of shame.” Also in Kano on Friday, Dr. Bature AbdulAziz (MON), the President, National Harmonised Traders Union of Nigeria, said that the alleged contract scam was a challenge to women.


Speaking to newsmen in Kano, AbdulAziz said although Etteh had not been found guilty, the controversy should serve as an eye opener to women.

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Dear Villagers,

Nothing spoil. The fight was not as bad as those seen in the Taiwanese parliament or other parliaments in South East Asia. It is merely democracy in action and a good omen so that future legislative looters will have an idea of the fate that beckons them b4 they embark on their lootery. :eek::eek::eek:
Mark u the despoilation of their family name is part of the dubious value added to their infamy especially in this youtube century when for instance 3 billion Chinese have heard and associated Etteh in Nigeria with legislative looting.:idea:
I have prophesied that globalisation is the last check on our national excesses and internet is the only mechanism by which our playing the ostrich in such matters will be exposed on the www. Thank Youtube, na una biko.
U aint seen my people in action yet until the day u see a man in agbada loaded with dollars, charms and or voters card about to embark on one mischievious national assignmnet or the other or was it by coincidence that a man should wear agbada, stand on a table in the legislative chamber and dare his colleagues to a world wrestling kind of fight in support or against Etteh. What he saw he really got and the fellow who pulled him down, agbada, man and all deserves a Commander of the Order of Niger for commanding him down from the table physically.:D:D:D:D

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Thanks for getting this on here as I missed it the 1st time on the news. On further reflection, it is not a bad thing this fight. Now if evryone can join in and make a proper revolution out of it...

Thanks Aringaranso for informative post.

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Now let us analyze this so-called "Show of Shame". The dictionary defines shame as: "the painful feeling arising from the consciousness of something dishonorable, improper, ridiculous, etc., done by oneself or another"

To have shame, you must have a conscience that tells you something you did was wrong. Now, tell me who has shame amongst all our "honourable" members of the NA? Madame Speaker has 628 million reasons not to be ashamed.

We are now building a nation where thieves are celebrated. From LGA Chairmen to Ministers to Governors to the Presidency, where is the shame I ask?

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=Hamattan;20912608>Waoo! was that from Iddo motto park or Onitsha head bridge?:eek::eek::eek::eek:

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We do not need rocket science to know that most of them are former thugs!What do you expect from people who used violence to get into the house of representatives?

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When election turns out to be a do-or die affair,

When people win election thru violence,

When the unpopular are "elected" against the wishes of the electorates,

When electoral officers are intimidated by powers that be to pronouce their favored as the winners,

When the unqualified suddenly becomes qualified,

When the unserious suddenly appears to be serious,

When people win election from the comforts of their palaces,

When ex-thugs suddenly start to be address as Hon MP's in big-white-floating agbada,

When people become Honorable Members without even knowing their constituencies,

Then ,

the Honorable bussiness of legislation will be made dis-honorable,

And Thuggery, hyper-inflation of contracts,power abuse,politics without direction and base become the order of the day.

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Of course you do not expect anything less. This is the only life they know. Nobody expects any cerebral arguments from these street toughs. They are used to settling argments with knives and cudgels and guns. Watching these rascals one might think that they are fighting for democracy. Alas these Al Capones are only interested in lining their pockets even if they have to do it by fisticuffs. Hope for that country keeps receeding each day. Cry the beloved country!

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Abike fighting? I doubt that very much!