The House of Representatives Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, took action on Tuesday to prevent the House from discussing the removal of subsidies by the newly inaugurated Bola Tinubu administration.
Several lawmakers had expressed their desire to debate a motion brought forward by Jide Jimoh (APC, Lagos) regarding the subsidy. However, Gbajabiamila did not allow the debate to take place.
On Monday, Tinubu had announced the elimination of petroleum subsidies, which immediately caused shock in the petroleum downstream sector. Fuel queues began appearing at gas stations in major cities across the country.
During the motion, Jimoh praised Tinubu for his stance on the subsidy regime in his inaugural speech, stating that the president's position aligns with the law as there is no provision for fuel subsidy in the 2023 Appropriation Act.
Despite several lawmakers expressing their interest in speaking on the motion, Gbajabiamila quickly called for a vote and made a ruling, deliberately preventing further discussion. When the members protested, the speaker insisted that he had made his decision and could not reverse it.
Ugonna Ozurigbo (PDP, Imo) raised a point of order, highlighting the expectations of his constituents for him to speak on the matter.
However, Gbajabiamila stated that although the lawmakers could make comments on the subsidy at any point during the session, it would not be relevant to the current motion. He allowed them to discuss the subsidy separately, emphasizing that their comments would be recorded for the sake of record-keeping.
In response to the motion, the House passed resolutions commending Tinubu for his courage and dedication to serving the country honestly and with integrity. They also congratulated the president on his preparedness for the national task ahead and his commitment to serving humanity.
Additionally, the House appealed to Nigerians to remain patient, resilient, and prayerful, in order to give the president the opportunity to fulfill his promises.
0 Comments