Reps deny House rules forgery

The House of Representatives has debunked reports that it carried out a secret amendment to the Standing Orders of the House, the rule book guiding the Green Chamber’s business. A media report had claimed that the House rule book was secretly altered to restrict members to open ballots in the election of presiding officers. It […]

The House of Representatives has debunked reports that it carried out a secret amendment to the Standing Orders of the House, the rule book guiding the Green Chamber’s business.

A media report had claimed that the House rule book was secretly altered to restrict members to open ballots in the election of presiding officers.

It alleged that the move was to give an edge to Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, the preferred candidate of APC for the speakership seat.

But the chairman of the House Committee on Basic Education and Services, Prof Julius Ihonvbere, who chaired the panel that reviewed the rules book in 2019, denied the report yesterday.

Ihonvbere, in a statement yesterday, said: “Let me state very categorically that the document was not tampered with in any way. As democrats, we must all refrain from trying to corrupt, contaminate or compromise the democratic process in any way.”

The lawmaker also denied interference by the Speaker, Femi, in the process.

Gbajabiamila also said due process was followed in the amendment carried out in 2019.

A statement by the Speaker’s media office said: “Anyone insinuating the House Rules was forged to allow OPEN voting is either ignorant of what the members of the House of Representatives passed at plenary on Thursday, July 25, 2019, or is mischievous or intend to manipulate the election process of the 10th House against the rule of law.”