By Our Reporter
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, has slammed a member of House of Representatives, Hon. James Faleke, for using his position as an opportunity to pass ridiculous comment on to him.
Although the video tapes revealing this do not show where Faleke cast the first stone, Ngige, a former Governor of Anambra State, said in the part shown that “If you yab me I’ll yab you ten times” pointing to Faleke as having started it.
Dr. Chris Ngige, the Anambra State Governor whose politically motivated kidnap was allegedly backed by Olusegun Obasanjo Presidency for fighting godfatherism in the South East state, was Senator between 2011 through 2015 and has been Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria since the coming of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.
Appearing before the Adhoc Committee of the House of Representatives to answer questions over an alleged breach of a presidential directive during which Faleke “cast the aspersion” on him, the Anambra State born medical doctor called Faleke “a small boy” and claimed he was “Tinubu’s mate”.
“I am at least seven years older than you. I’m sure.
“I am the same age as your mentor in Lagos, Asiwaju (Bola Ahmed Tinubu). And I was Governor with him at the same time. He was a Senator, I was a Senator.
“I am a two-term Minister, he is a two-term Minister.”
Faleke will be heard saying: “But he won all his elections very well?”
But Ngige fired back: “No problem about that. Just like you won your own in Kogi State very well and you are now both the Governor and Deputy Governor.
“You are just a small boy in Lagos. Look at this Mushin boy, talking to a Victoria Island boy.”
Ngige is alleged to have suspended top management and executive committee members of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), although the presidential directive bars ministers from sacking heads of agencies.
The minister had asked Faleke to recuse himself from the hearing, since he had already passed judgement on him (Ngige) through his statements on the floor of the House, when the motion for the investigation was raised on July 7, 2020.
Faleke accused Ngige of hijacking the NSITF’s budget and removing the board to cover his tracks.
