The Deputy Minority Leader of the Nigerian House of Representatives, Chukwuka Onyema, who sponsored the bill seeking to establish the South-East Development Commission, has said that some House members who were fasting purposely came to Thursday’s sitting with the sole intention of killing the bill.
The bill was rejected on Thursday after it was put to a voice vote by Yakubu Dogara, the speaker.
Mr. Onyema had stormed out of the green chamber, alongside some south-east lawmakers, after the bill was put aside. He now alleges that there was a gang-up to kill the bill.
He said, “Two things happened, it was obvious that there was a gang up to kill this bill. People that are supposed to be fasting came back and shouted ‘nay’.”
“We all heard it and still the presiding officer gave it to the ‘nays’. This bill does not affect anybody in any way. This is something that is for developmental purposes.
“Why are we killing it? And we are talking about marginalization, that we are not marginalized? We are marginalized, it is obvious that we are being marginalized. By Tuesday, you will hear what you want to hear,” Onyeama added.
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