The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, on Wednesday cut a member of the House of Representatives, James Faleke, to size.
Ngige who appeared before the Adhoc Committee of the House of Representatives to answer questions over an alleged breach of a presidential directive called Faleke “a small boy” and said he was “Tinubu’s mate.”
Tinubu is Faleke’s political mentor and benefactor.
“You are near my age but I am at least seven years older than you. I’m sure,” Ngige who said he is 67 years told Faleke when he claimed he was above 60 years.
Comparing his records of public service with Tinubu’s, Ngige continued: “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-time Minister, he isn’t a two-term minister.”
Faleke retorted: “But he (Tinubu) 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 Deputy Governor and Governor of Kogi State.”
“Mr Minister, please respond,” Faleke again retorted.
Ngige fired back. “I am responding my friend. If you yab me, I will yab you ten times.”
Faleke now told him that he won his election in Kogi and Ngige said, “I am a Lagos boy. You are just a small boy in Lagos. look at this boy. Mushin boy talking to a VI (Victoria Island) boy. I live in Victoria Island. Look at Mushin boy, from Kogi ooo! You are ogborogbo, I no get time for you. Kiloshe?”
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.