Lagos — Since the advent of civil rule in 1999, the moment of cabinet re-composition at the House of Representatives has always been a tough time. Members during this time, are always agitated. And the bone of contention is who heads which committee and who deputises for whom in the House. There are 72 standing committees in the House.

From the tenure of Hon. Ghali Na' Abba and Hon. Aminu Bello Masari to the time of the immediate past Speaker, Mrs. Olubunmi Etteh and now Honourable Dimeji Bankole, the trend has not changed. And there are perceptions that the development may remain the same in the nearest future.

Bankole emerged as the Speaker of the House on November 2, 2007 after a protracted crisis which rocked the House to its foundation over the renovation scandal which broke out last August.

However, though the public was made to believe that the renovation scandal was the offshoot of the crisis which led to the ouster of Etteh, there were perceptions that the crisis was rather the fallout of Etteh's decision to deprive some members of the headship of juicy committees.

Bankole inherited the current committees in the House from Etteh. Hence, members of the House has since his ascension awaited changes in the leadership of the House.

But the 38-year old Speaker has been very careful in handling the matter since he assumed duty because of fears not to play into the hands of several interest groups in the House.

However, Bankole in the last two months has opted to damn the consequences by putting machinery in place to effect changes in the leadership of the committees. At almost every plenary session, Bankole will harp on the necessity for the change, arguing that some of the committees are not working, while others have done well in the discharge of their legislative and oversight functions.

Nevertheless, the development has begun to generate internal bickerings, because of some members' grip on the committees. It is the feelings of such members that Bankole, by his decision to reconstitute the committees, has stepped on sensitive toes.

In his bid to improve the quality of legislation which in the perception of observers, is far below expectation when viewed against the performance of members both at the plenary and oversight functions, Bankole has been shuttling between advanced countries to secure knowledge about how the legislature is being managed. To this end, Bankole along with some members have attended training conferences in different countries.

However, those who are haunted by fears of change have not been comfortable with the speaker's moves to reposition the leadership of the House and hence invented different theories to threaten the Speaker.

Those in this category have insisted that Bankole's new move implies his preparation to run the House like the principal of a secondary school who wants to inculcate morals in pupils.

At the close of legislative business in the last one year, 79 bills were introduced, with nine coming from the executive and the remaining 70 from the members. But only 11 of the bills have been passed.

In all, the Rules and Business Committee received 130 motions out of which 50 resolutions were passed, while two negative motions were deferred, while four others were withdrawn.

Besides, 32 motions were referred to the committee stage as well as adhoc committees with eight reports laid before the House. The House also had 26 petitions laid and considered, which the Speaker said were far from being enough when compared with the last Assembly. He had expected a better output, but some believed the performance so far was okay because they would not want to be overstretched.

Bankole, a smart politician whose father, Chief Alani Bankole, is also a top member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had in a bid to avoid being accused of extravagance, chosen to remain in his private House at Apo legislative Quarters, rather than move into an hotel after his election. He and his deputy are entitled to stay in an hotel for about three months before formally moving into the official residence.

He is also being careful, bearing in mind that the last set of principal officers was forced to resign after facing imminent impeachment threats over the renovation scandal. The speaker and his deputy's official residences in Apo are yet to be renovated since November last year, when they sassumed duties. The Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), had only last month in the Federal Tenders Journal, advertised for bids from contractors for the two major projects.

The Speaker has also refused to buy a new set of official cars for his official use in Abuja and Lagos. The same also applies to his deputy, Usman Nafada in Abuja and Gombe, his home state. Both prefer to use the old cars left by their predecessors

The National Assembly's management is yet to put up tenders for the supply of the cars since November last year when the duo were elected.

Bankole is however facing several battles both from Ogun, his home state and the National Assembly. Indeed, two members from his state along with some other lawmakers are spearheading the move to remove him. From the state level, many are however linking the plot to oust Bankole to the governorship turf in Ogun State.

Those plotting his removal have been holding series of meetings in Abuja, Abeokuta and Lagos to strategise on how best to officially commence the campaign for the exit of Bankole from the exalted seat.

Incidentally, there are four prominent politicians in Ogun State at the moment. They are Alhaji Tunji Sarafa-IShola, Minister of Mines and Steel, Chief Femi Majekodunmi, a very influencial medical doctor, Yomi Majekodumi, the Chief of Staff to Governor Gbenga Daniel and the embattled daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello representing Ogun Central senatorial district in the Senate.

Some of the federal legislators from the state who were at the forefront of the third term agenda have been doing all within their reach to impress the incumbent governor and the former president so as to clinch the governorship ticket of the party come 2011.

They have interestingly found the removal of Bankole as the Speaker of the House as a veritable way to impress their principals who were opposed to the emergence of "the small boy" as Speaker of the House of Representatives. The former President was said to have at a recent function, blamed Daniel for not stopping Bankole from emerging as the number four citizen of the country.

Perhaps the plot to remove Bankole has become noticeable in the number of times that the Ogun lawmakers have so far participated in the House business both at the plenary and oversight sessions. They have continuously distanced themselves from attending meetings presided over by Bankole.

But while some of the Ogun lawmakers have been busy trying to penetrate other parts of the country, spreading rumours of disaffection by members against Bankole, some of the members they have so far contacted have been reporting back to the Speaker.

Interestingly, one of the members is being accused of selling his property at the Apo legislative quarters to a serving minister in hard currency and being rewarded with a contract to supply vehicles to the National Assembly.

In relation to the zoning formula for the governorship of Ogun State, one of those out to unseat Bankole was said to have disclosed that no zoning arrangement has been put in place in the 32-year history of the state. But the major problem they are facing is the tendency they exhibit and the problems they confront in attempting to convince other members from other parts of the country on why Bankole must be humiliated out of office.

For instance, Hon. Ahmed Wadada who represents Keffi/Karu/Kokona federal constituency, said though he was aware of the moves to remove Bankole as Speaker, the major obstacle that proponents of the idea have is how to convince Bankole's allies on why he must be removed. He is of the opinion that state problems should be handled at the state level rather than trivialising an important institution like the National Assembly because of personal sentiments.

The Speaker, he said, was not imposed on the 360 members by the ruling PDP, but rather that members spearheaded by the Integrity Group installed him to lead them. Another problem in the House is the return of the former leader of the House, Abdullah, Ningi, who was sworn in when the House resumed last Tuesday. Ningi was able to bridge gaps between the older and younger members during the tenure of Masari as House Speaker.

While some are routing for his emergence as the deputy speaker, should the incumbent be removed, others are afraid that such move will affect all the principal officers including Bankole if any attempt is made in that direction.

Some members are also impressed by Nafada's performance so far as the deputy speaker, moreso that he has ensured that there are no missing gaps whenever the Speaker is not available.

However, others are insinuating that since Nafada was returned unopposed on November 1, last year he should be allowed to serve out his tenure unless he is found wanting in any form. Others are also arguing that since Ningi was a principal officer during the last tenure, he should be allowed to use his wealth of experience to contribute to the changes being made by the House leadership now.

Nevertheless, the speaker being aware of the plots to unseat him by certain lawmakers, took them by surprise when he warned last Tuesday that "it is either you are with us or not. It is either you are with the Federal Republic of Nigeria or not. This is our resolve. That is what we set out to do.

"I am glad and exceedingly proud as well, to know that we have since replaced that episode of divisive partisanship with an era of constructive partnership. This House is united by the common purpose to do the most good for the greater number, with our scarce resources," Bankole further said.

An obviously worried Bankole told members that as they resumed plenary last week, "Nigerians would expect us to rise to immediate challenges and exhibit leadership as true representatives of our people. We have decided to take our oversight functions exceedingly serious. We are taking on institutions in a manner in which we have never done before. We are under no illusion, as the consequences of what we are doing. Get ready for more political shenanigans," he boasted.

Bankole had after prayers before the take off of the parliamentary session, approved the votes and proceedings of Tuesday, June 24, this year and later administered oath on additional three members which now bring the total number of members to 357. The Orumba federal constituency of Anambra State has no representative yet, while some constituencies in Oyo and Ondo states which lost their members are yet to replace them.

Indeed, in the last three weeks, Bankole who has battled serious attacks from members over his alleged frequent trips abroad, told members that "while some of us were engaged in oversight functions, some used the opportunity to visit their constituencies in order to better acquaint themselves with the aspirations of those who elected them.

"Others travelled outside the country, for important official engagements. But whichever way we spent the period of this adjournment, I believe that each of us had garnered useful insights that would add value to the activities as we resume the 2008 and 2009 legislative session," he stated.

Rising up in stout defence of the Speaker, Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Publicity, Hon. Eziuche Ubani, who later briefed the press on the outcome of the executive session, said members were quite frank with themselves over the issues raised. Ubani confirmed that Bankole was able to assuage the fears of members that the trips were meant to enhance the capacity of the House and position it for the challenges ahead, insisting that the speaker led a delegation of the House to the United States Congress and met with the US House leadership and certain committees adding that he also visited some congressional agencies.

"He was able to handle the questions that the trips were not for the fun of it. The contacts will indeed deepen collaboration with parliaments of other countries and it will go a long way to help build and strengthen our legislative institutions and democracy."

Bankole did not stop at the plenary to give it back to members, he later invited all committee chairmen and their deputies to a meeting at the Conference Hall of the new House of Representatives block. He said the new list of committee leadership would be announced before the end of the week.

Bankole is still bent on changing the structure of the membership of the committees, despite the impeachment threat before they embark on the annual vacation.