A fresh crisis is looming in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as some of its aspirants for the leadership of the 10th National Assembly have rejected the party’s consensus candidates for positions of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.
At a press conference on Monday night, the current House of Reps Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Idris Wase, and Majority Leader, Alhasan Doguwa, rejected the consensus arrangement announced by the party on Monday.
The APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, had announced that the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) had zoned the Speaker position to the North West and Deputy Speaker to the South East.
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The party went ahead to endorse Abass Tajudeen, representing Zaria Federal Federal Constituency of Kaduna State for Speaker, and Benjamin Kalu, representing Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State for Deputy Speaker.
The arrangement also saw the zoning of the Senate President position to South South (Senator Godswill Akpabio – Akwa Ibom) and Deputy Senate President position to the North West (Senator Barau Jubrin – Kano).
But speaking when they attended the official declaration of one of the Speakership aspirants, Aliyu Betara, Wase and Doguwa said they would not allow the 10th National Assembly to be “hijacked” and made a “lame duck” by their party’s leadership.
The trio and one other lawmaker have now formed a new group of members-elect known as the G-4, vowing to proceed with their separate bids for Speaker position.
In his speech, Doguwa, who represents Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal Constituency of Kano State, said while he doesn’t consider his ambition a “do or die” affair, members of the Green Chamber must be allowed to elect their leaders without interference.
“My respected colleagues, the leader of the 9th House of Representatives, I would like to first of all put on record that I’m still an aspirant for the office of the Speakership of the 10 House of Representatives, God willing.
“Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I’m also here on the personal invitation of my friend, a colleague and a brother who is also running for the same office. I think I’m under obligation to honor his invitation because of his humility. He’s one person that we respect in the house, that we always address him as the shock absorber.
“…my contest is not about a do or die affair, wherever God gives to (the Speaker position), I will be a progressive ally to work with him and I will expect (that) if God gives to me, everyone will join me to work together.
“But one message that I have to put across is that the Parliament, in this case the House of Representatives, or by extension the National Assembly is one special institution that must always be allowed to walk out its own business by itself.
Doguwa stressed that, “the business of our leadership should be solely our business and not any other person’s business. The way and manner members that operate under a platform of first among equals, members that operate on the platform of equal members representing equal constituencies, constitutionally, must be respected as an institution.
“In a situation whereby you have some other people in whatever guise or whatever name trying to define or determine how or where or when our leadership or who should form part of leadership from outside without consulting us, I think that should be seen as a mere failure.
“Inclusion in politics is very key and important, I remain very available to my party for consultation and inclusion and only if that is done then definitely everyone will answer his father’s name. My name is Honourable Ado Doguwa and I’m still contesting for the Speakership of the House of Representatives.”
Remarking also, Wase, who is the current Deputy Speaker and member representing Wase Federal Constituency of Plateau State, questioned how the APC NWC arrived at its consensus candidates without consulting with elected members of the party in the lower legislative chamber.
“We are here to ensure the independence of the Parliament, to ensure that we work as a family. What we are witnessing today, we have never seen that kind of moment and that is why every Parliamentarian must rise to the occasion to defend that institution.
“We will not allow this Parliament to be disgraced, we will not allow this Parliament to be hijacked (and) we will not allow this Parliament to be made a lame duck.
“When you say you have a consensus candidate, the language for consensus is very simple. It means then that there has been maybe massive consultation, people were brought to table for discussion and that’s an agreement. In this case, we just saw and we’re hearing speculations that some people have been made consensus candidates. I don’t know whether that is the meaning of consensus.
“I’m a democrat, I came to the Parliament in 2007 and by the grace of God I’m into my 5th time (in the House) and I give glory to God
“This place is very sacred, it is honourable and that’s why we’re called honourable members.
“We must be honourable in our dealings, our actions and activities, in defence of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“We know that it is only one person that will eventually emerge but the best out of us must emerge…we will defeat those forces that think Nigeria is in their pockets,” he said.
Present at the press conference was the Princess Miriam Onuoha of Okigwe North Federal Constituency of Imo State who is also contesting for the Speaker position.