The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Patricia Etteh, on Thursday, named the chairmen of 66 standing committees and their deputies before the House adjourned till September 4 for its annual vacation.

The Speaker also named the chairmen of six special committees of the House and chairmen of sub-committees, barely six weeks after they were inaugurated.

Five lawmakers, who were chairmen in the last House under the Speakership of Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari, also retained their portfolios.

The affected chairmen are Oluwole Oke (Defence); Edogie West-Idahosa (Internal Affairs); Ibn Na‘Allah ( Judiciary); Aliyu Wadada (Capital Market); and Dr. Aminu Safana (for Health Committee).

Further details of the committees’ composition, showed that the chairmanship of Public Accounts was given to Alhaji Usman Mohammed (an All Nigeria Peoples Party lawmaker from Kano State).

Public Accounts, the only committee enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, is always reserved for the opposition in tandem with parliamentary practice to serve as a check on governance over public expenditure.

But a new lawmaker and former Editor of ThisDay on Sunday, Mr. Eziuche Ubani, emerged as the Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, a position that Mrs. Abike Dabiri occupied in the last House.

Appropriation Committee is chaired by Mr. Festus Adegoke; Drugs, Narcotic and Financial Crimes is chaired by Mr. Dave Salako, just as Mr. Musa Adar heads the House Committee on Electoral Matters.

Also, Petroleum Resources (Downstream) Committee is chaired by Mr. Clever Ikisipo, a lawmaker from Bayelsa State, while Petroleum Resources Upstream is chaired by Mr. Tam Brisbe from Rivers State.

The Pensions Committee is to be headed by Mr. Ayo Adeseun; Mr. Farouk Lawan chairs the Education Committee Works; Aviation is being chaired by Mr. Independence Ogunewe, while Mr. Cyril Maduabum heads Public Petitions Committee.

House Committee on Works is chaired by Mr. Chuma Nzeribe; Communication Committee is under Mr. Jerry Manwe, just as Mr. Tony Madwatte chairs the Army Committee and Air force Committee was assigned to Mr. John Agoda.

Mrs. Mercy Almona-Isie was given the House Committee on Tourism and Culture, just as Banking and Finance went to Mr. Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi.

Customs and Excise went to Mr. Yakubu Dogara while Gas Committee is under Mr. Igo Aguma among others.

But Etteh told the lawmakers that she took into consideration equity, fairness and competence in choosing the chairmen.

She added that the performance of the chairmen and their deputies would be under watch and might be reviewed if necessary.

The appointment of chairmen had been a subject of intrigues, following the directive of the Peoples Democratic Party that the appointments should be given to their lawmakers.

But the lawmakers on the platform of the Action Congress in the House, led by Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, had alleged that Etteh had excluded their lawmakers from heading any committee because of its party‘s failure to participate in Government of National Unity.

Explaining the appointments, the Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Mr. Ita Enang, said, ”The appointment was done, considering the strength of each of the parties in such a way as to carry everybody along. The appointment reflected federal character, and to satisfy the interest groups in the House.”