By Abdullahi Mohammed
The “sole candidate” of the All Progressives Congress,APC for the post of Speaker ,House of Representatives,Mr Femi Gbajiabiamila has said he (as well as his supporters) will work with the leadership of the House.He revealed this after a closed door meeting between APC House of Reps members and the party leaders at the national secretariat on Thursday. Gbajabiamila lost the election to the rebel APC candidate ,Mr Yakubu Dogara on the floor of the House.
” We will work with the leadership of the house, with the speaker as long as the party programs are properly articulated and pursuit of one house. He is an APC member .it is prerogative of the party to punish anyone because in every association there must be discipline and whatever the party decide is for the party, not for me to see to that”.
Speaking on their mission to the APC secretariat, Gbajabiamila said,” Basically we came to meet with the party. We have just gone through an election in the house and we came to meet with the party regarding the out come of the election and how the party is going to remain strong and united and move forward so that we can deliver deliverables and program of the party through the house. It is just a simple meeting ,that is all
For me ,going to court for what? For senators ..going to court I don’t know I can only speak about the house.What happened in the house there was an election unlike in the senate where people were denied their fundamental human rights to express themselves” Gbajabiamila said.
Also,the party’s preferred candidate for the seat of deputy speaker,House of Representatives , Mohammed Tahir Monguno has reaffirmed that the new leadership of the national assembly is a reality on ground. He also made this assertion at the party secretariat .
Monguno said ” Well ordinarily as loyal party members we should have adhered to the directive of the party.Normally in contestation for power more than one, two or three people will emerge and the party usually organizes in house election for one to emerge from among those vying for a particular position. Now the party in its wisdom having observed that more than two people are contesting for position organized a straw poll where some people emerged in the hope (that)all party members (will )respect the decision of the majority of the party members but some members among us refused to respect the decision of the party and went to the floor of the house to conduct an election where with the support of majority of PDP members some people emerged as the president (of Senate) and speaker of the house of representatives .But as it is now that is a reality that is on ground and we have to deal with it” .
” And as a loyal member that is in control of the government of the Federal Republic Of Nigeria , bb we would not take any step that is going to affect the interest of the fixed order and good governance of this country” he argued.
” The emergence of the leadership of the national assembly is a reality on ground and as far as the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria is concerned is a reality on ground that we have to deal with it particularly the emergence of the leadership of the house of representatives” he admitted.
Monguno said ” We are here because we were summoned by our party ..and as a loyal party members to continue to support the government so that the lofty aims and objectives for which the Nigerian people supported the APC to be in the government is achieved to the fullest. So as such we should not take any step that is going to be in contradiction to the peace, order and good governance of this country.
“As loyal party members we are fully conscious of the fact that we are in control of the government of the federal republic of Nigeria and as such we are not going to take any step that is going to derail the performance of that government”.
