10th Speakership Race: Alleged Plot To Suspend Me, Betara, Dogara, Mere Fabrication – Wase

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Idris Wase, yesterday said the alleged plot to suspend him and two other senior members of the chamber are mere fabrication. 

Wase spoke against the backdrop of feelers that the emergency sitting of the House was aimed at slamming suspension on him, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and Hon Betara. 

According to a source within the Green Chamber, Wase would be suspended for indiscipline, while Dogara and Betara are to be slammed for not meeting the required number of days to appear at plenary. 

Wase and Betara are frontline contestants for Speaker of the 10th House.

But when contacted, the deputy Speaker, Wase, dismissed the alleged plot to suspend him and others as a fabrication begotten from the rumour emanating from the notice of emergency session issued by the Clerk of the House.

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Wase told LEADERSHIP Sunday last night that the emergency session is to amend the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) act to create more space for borrowing.

 “What offence has the deputy Speaker committed that they would want to convene a session to suspend him?” He queried.

Wase noted that the next Speaker will be elected by members of the 10th Assembly and not the 9th Assembly.

When asked to confirm that he is still in the speakership race, Wase said, “Of course, I’m still in the race”. 

The Clerk of the House of Representatives, Dr. Yahaya Danzaria Esq, had earlier released a notice of emergency meeting, saying, “This is to inform all Hon Members, the General Public and Staff that an emergency session requiring pressing legislative actions is slated for tomorrow Sunday, 28th May, 2023 at 1:00pm.

“All Members are advised to use the Villa Gate for ease of access. The Leadership deeply regrets any inconvenience.”

However a source in the House said the meeting would be used to suspend the three lawmakers as fallout of the leadership tussle. 

“This is just a contest that all interests need to be respected and at the end, whoever emerges will be for us all. But why this kind of tactic? It is wrong to contemplate the suspension of Dogara, Wase, Betara and others they feel are very influential and forceful on the floor of the House. 

“What the Speaker is doing is highly reprehensible because you cannot in this dirty manner expect people to just follow you. Does it mean those of us from the north supporting him against our brothers for his choice are fools. What has Dpgara done to warrant this kind of treatment after all the disrespect from Gbajabiamila in the last four years? What?

“We got the information first as rumour but when the notice came, it became a reality. The man is just hiding under the senate emergency session to do what he wants to do against those people because while the senate has a role to play in the ways and means matter, what is our own if not that he wants to punish some perceived enemies. 

“If the speaker and his deputy could not hide their feelings for each other and it came to the open, what is insubordination in that? What the speaker is doing is to simply stop Wase from acting as speaker once he is appointed as a chief of staff. Democracy is in danger, I must confess”.