JUST IN: ABBAS RAISES THE NUMBER OF STANDING HOUSE COMMITTEES AND APPOINTS WASE, FALEKE, GAGDI, AND BETARA AS CHAIRMEN.

Tunji Wusu –

The House’s standing committees were established on Thursday by Tajudeen Abbas, Speaker of the House of Representatives.

However, Mr. Abbas expanded the number of committees from the 110 established by his predecessor, Femi Gbajabiamila, to 134 committees.

This indicates that he added 24 additional committees to the House’s 360 members.

Idris Wase, a former deputy speaker, Yusuf Gagdi, and Musa Betara, all of whom recently ran against Mr. Abbas for the speakership, are among those selected as committee chairmen. Later, Messrs. Gagdi and Betara dropped out of the competition.

Mr. Betara (APC, Borno) was chosen to lead the committee on the Federal Capital Territory, while Mr. Wase (APC, Plateau) was given the less-favorite leadership of the committee on Federal Character.

Mr. Gagdi, who presided over the committee on Navy under Mr. Gbajabiamila, kept his position as chairman.

Idu Igariwey (PDP, Ebonyi) will serve as Abubakar Bichi’s (APC, Kano) substitute as the chairman of the committee on appropriations.

James Faleke (APC, Lagos), a supporter of President Bola Tinubu, kept his position as chairman of the finance committee, which he held during the ninth session under Mr. Gbajabiamila. The same is true for Abdulahi Saidu, his deputy (APC, Niger).

Mr. Faleke, a native of Kogi State, served as the organization’s secretary up until a few months ago.

The committee on public accounts will be presided over by Bamidele Salam (PDP, Osun), while the committee on defense will continue to be led by Babajimi Benson (APC, Lagos).

The new chairman of the petroleum committee (Upstream) is Alhassan Doguwa (APC, Kano), the previous leader of the House.

Details to come.