By Sadiq Umar – The House of Representatives on Thursday rejected a bill seeking to establish the South-East Development Commission, leading to sharp division of its members.
The House rejected the second reading of the bill after it was put to a voice vote by the speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara.
The House was sharply divided between members that supported the bill and those against it.
Mr. Dogara had to put the question on the bill twice to be sure of where the House stand on the matter.
The sponsor of the bill, Chukwuka Onyema (Anambra, PDP), had argued that the bill sought to tackle poverty and ecological problems confronting the South-East part of the country.
He said the bill also sought to receive and manage fund from allocation of the federation account for the development, restructure and rehabilitation of roads, houses and other infrastructure in the region.
Speaking in favour, the House Minority Leader, Leo Ogor (Delta, PDP), said the bill would address most of the issues affecting the region.
“This country cannot continue with the situation where we come to Abuja every month to share money.
“I think every zone deserves such commission because it will make everybody look inward.
“This nation needs to be restructured, we cannot continue the way we are going,” Mr. Ogor said.
Sani Abdul (Bauchi, APC) said the agitation to create the commission was as a result of the government’s inability to address the socio-economic challenges in the country.
“We should look at it holistically in order not to have problems.
“We are worried, however, because the timing of the bill with the agitation for Biafra is suspicious,” Mr. Abdul said.
Also speaking against the bill, Sunday Karimi (Kogi, PDP) said some of the South-East states were already captured in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and “the creation of a South-East Commission will be too much”.
Sani Zorro (Jigawa, APC) said not much consultation was done to ensure the success of the bill.
“I won’t be comfortable that at the end of the day we leave here with acrimony.
“In view of the debate we have had so far, I am of the view that the sponsors and supporters of this bill should make further consultations,’’ Mr. Zoro said.
Other members who opposed the bill argued that the timing was not right, especially giving the current agitation for secession by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Aggrieved members mainly from the south east staged a walk-out from the chamber after the speaker ruled in favour of rejection of the bill.
Mr. Chukwuma told repoerters outside the chamber that the supporters would find a way to represent the bill.
He said the bill was a harmless proposal that could not have hurt any part of the country, blaming the loss on the floor to Mr. Dogara who he accused of favouring the rejection of the bill.
-Additional reports from News Agency
