Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker, House of Representatives, on Thursday announced the chairmanship of both standing and special committees with many old names missing from the list.
In announcing the standing committees, which were increased from 96 in the 8th Assembly to 102, the speaker launched a paradigm shift by dropping perpetual chairmen of key committees and appointing new faces to head them.
The surprises from the announcement hit home when key committees in the petroleum sector went to new hands and security committees also saw new names emerging.
Daily Independent had reported Tuesday that opposition lawmakers were apprehensive of rumours that petroleum committees were going to members from non-oil producing states or regions.
Confirming the story on Thursday, the speaker announced Musa Sarkin Adar from Sokoto State as chairman, House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream).
However, both Petroleum Resources (Downstream) and Gas Resources went to South-South lawmakers, with Nicholas Mutu emerging chairman, Gas Resources.
In that reversal pattern, the Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), which had almost become like the birthright of Nicholas Mutu, went to Olubunmi Tunji Ojo, a first timer from Ondo State.
One other surprise was the chairmanship of the Appropriation Committee which many thought would go to the DG of the Femi Gbajabiamila campaign, Abdulmumin Jibrin, but ended in the hands of Mukhtar Baitara from Borno State.
Not only did Jibrin, who was reportedly tipped for a ministerial appointment, not get a key committee, his name was totally absent from the list read out.
Also making it big on the list were names such as Abdulrazak Sa’ad Namdas, Victor Nwokolo, and James Abiodun Faleke who got Committees in Army, Banking and Currency and Finance, respectively.
While juicy committees such as House Services and Defence went to Wale Raji and Babajimi Benson, all from Lagos, ranking members such as Jerry Alagboso and Ossai Nicholas Ossai got Public Petitions as well as Treaties and Protocols.
Also well represented in the appointments were first time lawmakers who got close to 10 different committees to chair.
Notable among them are Onofiok Luke, former speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, who will have oversight of the Federal Judiciary; Benjamin Kalu (APC, Abia), who is to oversee the Media and Public Affairs Committee.
In contrast, ranking names such as Kingsley Chinda from Rivers, Tajudeen Ago Yusuf from Kogi, Nkem Uzoma Abonta from Abia, and Ajibola Muraina from Oyo were all left out without committee portfolios.
They had been chairmen, Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Capital Market and Institutions, and Petroleum Resources (Downstream) in the 7th and 8th Assembly, respectively.
Also left without portfolios were former principal officers such as Leo Okuweh Ogor, who is the immediate past Minority Leader of the House; Chukwuka Onyema Wilfred, who was his deputy and Yakubu Bards, who was Minority Whip in the last House.
Former Speaker Yakubu Dogara was also missing in the allocation of committees.
Whether the list, as announced by Speaker Gbajabiamila would generate tension could not be ascertained as the House proceeded on its annual long vacation, and is to resume on September 17.
