The speaker, Honourable Dimeji Bankole and the former House committee chairman on Navy and Petroleum, Honourable Halims Ochuko Agoda, betrayed emotion during their valedictory speeches. Both of them paused as they fought back tears while reflecting on their past activities as legislators.
Former speaker of the House, Honourable Patricia Olubunmi Etteh, who started the sixth session of the House of Representatives, however, stole the show during the last session, as she absolved herself of blame in the financial scam which led to her exit from office in November 2007.
Etteh, who was the first senior member of the House to be recognised by the speaker, Bankole, to make a valedictory speech, delivered a speech on how federal legislators could live up to their constitutional responsibilities, contending that all lawmakers should always dispense their constitutional duties with candour, truth and sense of patriotism.
The former speaker went down memory lane to recall the scam over the contracts for renovation of her official residence and that of her deputy, Babangida Nguroje, and stated that she was never guilty of the allegations levelled against her.
The outgoing House committee chairman on Rules and Business, Honourable Ita Enang, assisted in putting the motion properly when he affirmed that neither record of the House nor any of its proceedings ever indicted the former speaker after investigations into the House renovation contract scam.
Bankole, in his own speech, was full of praises for the support which he said all his colleagues gave him, much as he commended the House of Representatives management for serving as a strong pillar of support for his leadership.
According to him, in the past four years, the House received a total of 482 bills and was able to pass a total of 187 bills, most of them coming from the executive arm of government and individuals.
Source:
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