Independence anniversary advert causes ripples among PDP Reps

THE atmosphere at the House was charged yesterday following a motion under matters of privilege raised by Honourable Mohammed Onawo over the inclusion of his name  in an advertorial purportedly signed by 140 PDP members and placed in some national newspapers to congratulate President Goodluck Jonathan on the occasion of the nation’s 53rd Independence anniversary.

Honourable Onawo, who claimed to belong to the  Alhaji Kawu Baraje-led faction of the new PDP said, “I was shocked to see this publication with my name.”
According to him, “this publication gives the impression that we are not operating as one and that the House is not operating as one House and this is not good for this country.”
The lawmaker further alleged that the advert was a ploy to divide the House saying that only 140 out of the 208 PDP members were listed in the paid coloured advert.
The Speaker, Honourable Tambuwal who presided over the session in his ruling on the point of order appealed to members to always consult their colleagues before putting their names on adverts and other publications.
Meanwhile, briefing newsmen after the session, Hon. Onawo alongside the caucus leader of the new PDP in the House, Hon. Andrew Uchendu further explained that about 22 of them were included on the advertorial without their consent and that was why he raised an objection.
 According to Honourable Onawo, “as at the beginning of today’s sitting, we were about 22 complaining together but because I was the most aggrieved, I moved the point of order on the floor. My grouse was that my name featured in the publication without my consent. If we were to congratulate the president, we should have done it as a house. We are 208 PDP members in the House but only 140 signed the congratulatory message. It means a group of people are trying to divide the House.”
The leader of the new PDP caucus Hon. Uchendu, however ,described the action of those who placed the advert as an attempt to create the impression that they were loyal to the president than others.
According to him, “Mr. Speaker had advised us that we should maintain peace and cohesion in the interest of the nation. So why would few persons go to the press and put in names of PDP members whom they consulted and those they did not consult. They want to give the impression that they are loyal to the president. Mr. president is my man too and I am loyal to him.”
Nigerian Tribune recalled that the House had on July 25 embarked on its annual recess and resumed on September 17, only to embark on one week break for oversight function on September 19 and resumed on October 2.
Sources in the National Assembly, however, confided in Nigerian Tribune that because of the crisis brewing in the House, the leadership of the lower chamber has already concluded plans to embark on another break after today’s sitting so as to douse the tension in the House.
But when contacted on telephone, the spokesperson of the House, Honourable Zakari Mohammed, said there was no plan by the House to embark on another break.