The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday resolved to continue plans for a protest march against the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mrs Patricia Etteh, over N628 million renovation contract scam rocking the House.

The House had suspended plenary session after a member of the House, Dr Aminu Safana from Kastina State, collapsed and died after a heated exchange of words between the pro-Etteh group and the anti-Etteh group known as the Integrity group.

The NLC the decision came after consultations with civil society organizations (CSOs), professional bodies and related groups led by the NLC President, Comrade Abdulwahed Ibrahim Omar yesterday to strategize on the way forward regarding the current crisis in the House of Representatives.

At a press briefing after the meeting, the NLC said that the forum "reaffirmed the demand for the resignation or removal of Mrs. Etteh as the Speaker on account of corrupt conduct and the shame and disarray she has inflicted on the House and the nation".

The NLC stated that a high-level contact group was set up to reach out to other organizations across the country, adding that a final strategy session would hold at the Labour House Monday to finalise the plans.

The forum also mandated the NLC to meet with President Umar Musa Yar'Adua on Tuesday to present the concerns of Nigerians to him over the crisis especially on what NLC termed "the unprogressive role of the PDP and the patently inexplicable inaction of the anti-corruption agencies".

NLC called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate Mrs. Etteh and others involved in the house renovation scam.

The forum mandated the NLC leadership to seek immediate audience with the chairmen of the EFCC and the ICPC immediately.

The NLC commended members of the House of Representatives for their resolve on the Speaker stepping aside for the debate on the David Idoko report on the contract scam.

"The meeting commends the resolve of the members of the House of Representatives, who continue to resist the violation of the integrity of the House by the Speaker, and called on members to take the required principled and patriotic step to throw her out and rescue the House from public odium and shame".