Gbajabiamila lied, I didn’t ask to head House Appropriation Committee – Rep

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A member of the House of Representatives, Nnenna Elendu-Ukeje, has denied demanding an assurance that she be appointed chairperson of the Appropriation Committee of the House as precondition for supporting any member eyeing the position of Speaker in the coming 8th Assembly.

One of the leading contenders for the position of the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, addressing members-elect of the Peoples Democratic Party Wednesday, had accused Mrs. Ukeje of demanding that she be assured of the sensitive position before supporting Mr. Gbajabiamila’s ambition.

Appropriation Committee is the most key of all House committees, as it takes charge of the budget. While the Senate of the House may have dozens of independent committees, all others are considered sub-committees to the Appropriation unit.

Mr. Gbajabiamila, the minority leader of House in the out-going 7th Assembly, was reacting to an earlier statement allegedly made by Mrs. Ukeje that he said a national leader of All Progressives congress, Bola Tinubu, had assigned all the House committees already to respective chairpersons.

PREMIUM TIMES contacted Mrs. Ukeje, who represents Bende Federal Constituency, Abia State in the Nigeria’s lower national legislative chamber, to establish the veracity of Mr. Gbajabiamila’s claim.

Mrs. Ukeje said although she and Mr. Gbajabiamila had met, it was untrue that she ever requested Appropriation Committee chairmanship.

“I met with Femi Gbaja like every other representative to the 8th House of Assembly from whom he is seeking support,” she said. “He sent me text message like any other person. I can forward that to you.

“Appropriation Committee has to do with Mathematics but I don’t have background in that.

“More so, I am not a member of APC. So as a PDP, opposition party, member, I have nothing to do with Appropriation Committee. So you should know what he is saying is not true. It will be foolish of me to ask him or anybody for that matter when I know I can never get it as an opposition party member. I don’t want to join any issue with Gbaja. He can continue to say what he likes.”