Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Thursday named chairmen of 102 standing committees, and their deputies, amid some surprises.
Announcing the standing committees, which were increased from 96 in the 8th assembly to 102, the Speaker substituted some “landlord” chairmen of key committees with new names, even fresh, unranked lawmakers.
The committees on petroleum sector, and those of security went to new hands.
Musa Sarkin-Adar (APC, Sokoto) clinched the Chairman, House committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream).
However, chairmen of Petroleum Resources (Downstream) and Gas Resources went to South-South lawmakers, with Nicholas Mutu emerging chairman Gas Resources.
For the first time, Chairman of House Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), which had been perpetually occupied by Nicholas Mutu (PDP, Delta) went to first time lawmaker, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo (APC, Ondo).
Other first timers, namely Onofiok Luke, immediate past Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, is to oversee Federal Judiciary, just as Benjamin Kalu (APC, Abia), takes charge of Media and Public Affairs Committee (House spokesman).
The Chairman of the influential House Committee on Appropriation, which many thought would go to the DG of the Femi Gbajabiamila campaign, Abdulmumin Jibrin, ended in the hands of Mukhtar Baitara (APC, Borno).
Not only did Jibrin, who was reportedly tipped for a ministerial appointment not get a key committee, his name was totally absent from the list read out, fueling speculations.
Consequently, the Speaker adjourned proceedings till September 17.
