Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila angrily adjourns plenary as lawmakers fail to show up  

Lawmakers at the House of Representatives failed to sit on Thursday after Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, angrily adjourned plenary till next week.

The Speaker who arrived at the Chamber around 11.20 a.m., furiously adjourned plenary over the absence of order paper.

He was also furious with the Clerk of the House for not being in his seat when he arrived. The Chamber was also scanty at the time the Speaker got in with few members seated.

The Speaker subsequently adjourned plenary till Tuesday next week. The National Assembly only resumed plenary on Tuesday, January 18 after Christmas and New Year break.

During Wednesday’s Plenary, NewsWireNGR recalls that the House of Representatives proposed to investigate the alleged unfair recruitment process into the National Social Investment Trust Fund (NSITF) by the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

In a motion by Representative Ismail Tijani, he alleged undue favouritism for persons from one particular part of the country into the agency.

Tijani’s motion reads, “The House notes that the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) is currently recruiting for positions at the management level.

“Concerned that only people from one particular part of the country are being recruited in the current exercise, which negates the principles of Federal Character

“Aware that the Minister of Labour and Productivity has been embroiled in a battle to control Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), including the NSITF, and had been summoned by the National Assembly for the alleged misdemeanour in 2016 and 2021 respectively.

“Also aware that the summons was based on allegations of employment irregularities, impunity, and anomalies indicating gross abuse of office.

“Worried that the current recruitment process at the NSITF, which is alleged to be biased could negatively affect the promotion of hardworking staff of the organisation.”

According to the lawmaker, the House is worried that the Minister’s alleged reign of impunity across the ministries and agencies under his supervision has continued unabated despite engagements and interventions by the National assembly.