Reps oppose jettisoning House rules in choosing principal officers

Two House of Representatives members have insisted that the rules of the House cannot be disregarded and jettisoned as it relates to the election of principal officers for the 9th National Assembly.

Their insistence is coming amidst calls for the adoption of the open ballot system in the election of presiding officers of the incoming National Assembly.

Rep. Rimamnde Shawulu (PDP/Taraba) and Rep. Kehinde Agboola (PDP/Ekiti) spoke on Sunday, in separate interviews in Abuja.

According to Rep. Shawulu, any attempt to change the House of Representatives standing orders in the 9th assembly election without following due process will be an aberration, stating that promoters of the open ballot system were ill-informed.

“Let them come from outside and amend the rules. President Muhammadu Buhari said he cannot assent to the Electoral Act because it was too close to the 2019 general elections.

“Now, we have some weeks to the election of principal officers and you want to amend how the National Assembly leadership is elected. That is double standard; it doesn’t make sense,’’ Shawulu said.

Rep. Shawulu, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Army, however, said the rules must first be amended by the House before any talk about the open ballot system.

“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 are 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.

He pointed out that the House rule, clearly spells out that the choice of principal officers is by secret ballot.

Corroborating Shawulu’s remarks, Rep. Agboola, said adopting the open ballot system “will amount to shifting a goal post at the middle of a football match,” adding that “we have never voted in the House through 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 8th National Assembly.

We have produced the one they will use. Anytime it is produced, there is no tension; so it is not bias.

“So, you cannot just change the rules because you want a particular candidate at all cost. If you are popular why are you afraid? Why didn’t they opt for Option A4 for the 2019 election? That means that you want to victimize the members; it means you want to impose a candidate on us. It cannot work,’’ he said.

According to the lawmaker, Order 3 Rule F (1) of the standing order of the House, states: “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.

“You will see the list of members-elect of the House who shall each be given a ballot paper to cast their vote with the proposer and seconder as tellers,’’ he added.

He said the tellers were the people that would be at the venue 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, the House member said if the number of contestants were more than two people “and nobody is stepping down, the election will 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 number of contestants was more than two people.

According to him, all the aspirants are currently engaging in behind-the-door discussions where one will have to step down for another considering regional, gender and religious factors.

Agboola further 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.

“Everybody will sit down with his certificate of return. When everything has been certified, members-elect will 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.