$30,000 bribery allegation: Reps in war against the media?

Attacks against supposed “misleading” or “false” publications in the media have been recurring phenomena on the floor of the House of Representatives, sometimes on reports affecting just a member, group of members, committee(s) or even the whole House as an institution In the latest incident, debated on the floor of the House, members insisted on punitive measures against media organisations found wanting in this regard. JOSHUA EGBODO brings details.
$30,000, $50,000 brouhaha And so was the case of the recent media reports on allegation that each member of the House was offered $30,000 as bribe to alter the election sequence, in amending the Electoral Act.
Senators were reportedly offered $50,000 in similar circumstances.
The report did not go down well with both houses of the National Assembly.
Specifically on the floor of the House of Representatives last Wednesday, members took swipes on media correspondents covering the lower chamber, with its Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, calling for re-accreditation of journalists covering activities of the parliament.
Media in the dock Members’ angers were vented, following a point of order raised on matters of privileges, by Nuhu Danburam, a member from Kano State, and Chairman of the House’s Ad hoc committee investigating status of the federal government’s Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy, stressing that his privileges as a member have been breached by the reported allegation.
The lawmaker described the allegation as one meant to discredit the House as an institution.
“Am beginning to worry that my constituents are now doubt my integrity”, he stated.
He prayed the House, to through its Committee on Ethics and Privileges, investigate the matter with a view to clearing the misconceptions the report may have instilled on the minds of Nigerians, who they are representing.
Elections sequence palaver Initial suggestions on the House’s insistence to re-order sequence of the election, against the earlier schedules released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), have been that negotiations may have been made with members to ensure majority support for the amendment based on past experiences, and to avoid some pitfalls in the fast approaching 2019 general elections.
INEC’s schedules put presidential and National Assembly elections were for the same day on February 16, 2019, but with the controversial amendment it, saying the House should rather approach the court.
While describing the allegation as a slap on the face of members, he said the matter should not be taken to Ethics and Privilege Committee because it will amount to the House being a judge in its own court.
“The House should take action on the suit of defamation.
It is time for the House to nail the issue.
There is need for reaccreditation of journalists covering the National Assembly”, he stated as he insisted the law backed the House to go to court if it is any way defamed.
Embarrassing report Also speaking, Mark Gbillah said he was quite embarrassed, upset and saddened that the National Assembly is once again being maligned, noting that his colleagues need to realise that there seemed to be a premeditated attempt from certain quarters to always cast aspersion on the institution of the National Assembly.
“This is a clear case of defamation and some punitive action needs to be taken.
As an institution, we need to begin to bring certain institutions to justice so that it can serve as a deterrent,” he said.
On his part, Aliyu Madaki said “I am worried the way journalists write and publish stories without confirmation.
We are not corrupt.
We did not collect any money.
No amount of allegation will stop us from performing our duties as legislature”.
Angry outburst Many other members spoke on the motion with anger directed against the media report.
Chairman of the Committee on Public Petitions, Uzoma Nkem-Abonta however cautioned that the said report did not categorically stated that bribes have been given, but that there were such plans being hatched.
Ruling after the marathon debate, Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara however insisted that “It is the Ethics and Privileges Committee that will look into the matter to know whether the House’s privileges have been breached”, adding that “I don’t think it is right to go to court, so the matter is referred to Ethics and Privileges Committee for further investigation”.
To followers of events in the House, would this amount to declaring war against the media? Th ough no time has been fi xed for commencement of the referred investigation by the Nicholas Osai-led Ethics and Privileges Committee, many say if member’s tone of debate on the matter was anything to go by, it is almost certain that all may not be rosy with the expected outcome.