The House of Representatives said it will hear the motion of Minority Leader Ndudi Elumelu for resignation of Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, when it is properly presented before it.
Spokesperson of the House, Benjamin Kalu, who represents Bende Federal Constituency, in a statement in Abuja, said media reports Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila blocked Elumelu’s motion demanding Pantami’s resignation was a misrepresentation of facts.
The statement reads: “The House is aware of several publications on online and traditional media claiming that the Speaker of the House, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, blocked a motion by the Minority Leader of the House, Rep. Ndudi Elumelu purportedly demanding the resignation of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami.
“This misrepresentation of facts for the sake of sensationalism has necessitated this statement of clarification.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the House is guided by the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives (House Rules) in its operations and administration.
“In this case, the Minority Leader should have known better than to present such an issue for debate via Order 6 of the House Rules which only applies to Legislative Privileges.
“He ought to have come under Order 8 Rule 4, as a matter of urgent national importance, or via a motion on notice to enable other members second the motion and make their contributions through debate in true democratic fashion, after which the House would be able to take a position on the issue.
“It is therefore pertinent to inform Nigerians that the House has not acted in error, but in line with the provisions of its rules. All insinuations that the House did not allow democratic debate to take place on the important issue of Pantami’s resignation are simple untrue.
“The House acknowledges the severity of the issue and its nature as a matter of public concern.
“As always, the House stands ready to give audience to Rep. Elumelu or any other member of the House on this issue, provided that such audience is sought through the proper channels and brought under the relevant rules of the House.”