The Leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Tuesday, said the motion he moved on the floor of the House against the Minister and State Minister of Mines and Steel, Kayode Fayemi and Bawa Bwari respectively, was not a personal attack.
Recall that Mr Gbajabiamila had caused the House to pass a vote of no confidence on Mr Fayemi and set up a “powerful investigative ad-hoc committee” to unravel all the surrounding issues in the Ajaokuta steel company.
Mr Gbajabiamila, who spoke with select journalist in Lagos, said, “Before you bring people directly into plenary, it must be of utmost public importance.
“We thought the issue required that kind of importance; the speaker personally wrote the minister to give 10 days prior notice.
“It was only a day before the hearing that the minister caused the ministry to respond, to say he will not be coming.
“The speaker responded again urging him to make time; it was not until the hearing had commenced that the minister dispatched a hurriedly written letter and the thrust was that they are going on with the concession.”
He said the legislators were justified to be furious at the absence of the minister, especially considering that nobody showed up from the ministry which communicated disrespect for the parliament.
“They also instructed the sole administrator of Ajaokuta not to show up; everybody smelled a rat. There was propriety to cover something; it was unfortunate that Dr. Kayode put us in that situation.
“We saw the mood of the house and we were not going to put our neck on the chopping block,” he said.
