Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Idris Wase has said that he would not jettison the country’s constitution and the rules of the House to accommodate individual or group’s interest.
Wase spoke against the backdrop of the rejection of a petition by the Mutual Union of Tivs in America (MUTA) penultimate week.
Receiving a delegation of All Progressives Congress, APC Elders from Plateau state on a solidarity visit, Thursday, Wase said the petition which was later accepted by the Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, said he would not join issues with people, but remain focused on the provisions of the both the ground norm and the House rules.
He said: “I tried everything I could to avoid making comment on the matter, but I want to assure you that we remain one House, one family because we are all guided by our rules.
“We are sure of the ruling that was done and those of you who are following the matter heard when the speaker was asking the person that brought the petition to confirm as to whether the identity of those who are presenting the petition have now signed and he did confirm they have now signed, so it has settled the matter.
”The provisions of the Nigerian Constitution and the House Rules would be protected under the watch of the 9th House.
“So, we will not join issues with anybody and we will not be distracted, rather we will remain focused on what God has given us to do on behalf of Nigerians and we will try our possible best to do justice to all manners of people. But we cannot by any means or way throw out our rules.”
Wase said that the MUTA petition was not the first than was stepped down on the floor of the House citing several instances based on the rules.
“Those who are following the activities of the House of Representatives will know that it is not the first petition that has been stepped down or asked not to be laid on the floor.
“I recall a month or two ago, was a petition that was brought from our friend from Anambra, in the claim of appointment done by the ministers, and we all know that the prerogatives of appointment in the ministries are vested in the hands of the ministers and if you lay this kind of petition, what claim and to save our time, we asked him to step down. He stepped down. So, it is not the first time”, he said.
The deputy Speaker said that mischief makers were behind the wrong information sent to the public that generated the outrage.
“It is rather unfortunate, for those who want to go and even craft stories that are not stories. I know my contributions to my country. I know what I have done and for anybody who wants to now investigate, he can go there and ask what I have been able to contribute to Nigerian project. I thank my colleagues who have also given me the confidence and repose their confidence in me to be their Deputy Speaker and by the grace of God, I am not going to fail them and I will not let any Nigerian down”, he said.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Mr Umar Shitein said that the narrative and the outage it generated was unfortunate. Shitein said that Nigeria’s democracy was still developing and there was need for all asunder to protect it.
He stressed the need to respect elected leadership saying that degrading national leaders would be degrading the country as a whole.
