Gbajabiamila pledges loyalty to Speaker Dogara
Speaker House of Representatives , Yakubu Dogara (right) being congratulated n Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila during the inauguration of the 8th National Assembly in Abuja PHOTO: Ladidi Lucy Elukpo.
The Former House of Representatives Minority Leader, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, on Thursday promised to work with the new Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, to deliver on campaign promises.
Gbajabiamila said this while addressing newsmen in Abuja after an emergency meeting by the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
It would be recalled that Gbajabiamila won the straw poll the APC organised to present a unified candidate for the speakership position but was defeated by Dogara who insisted on a contest.
According to him, the loyalty will remain strong as long as party programmes are pursued to ignite the needed change.
“We will work with the leadership of the house and with the speaker for as long as the party’s programmes are properly articulated and pursued on the floor of the house.
“He is an APC member but not the speaker of the APC but of the House of Representatives of the country. So we will work with him and support him,’’ he said.
According to him, the party is going to remain strong and united so that we can deliver the deliverables and the programme of the party through the house.’’
On whether the party would sanction some of the lawmakers that defied its instruction in both the senate and the house, he said: “all I know is that in every association there must be discipline’’.
“Whatever the party decides to do that’s for the party; it’s not for me to speak about it,’’ he said.
In another interview, Rep Mohammed Monguno, who won the straw poll organised by the party for Deputy Speaker, said the situation in the lower chamber was a reality the party must rise to face.
“As it is now, that is the reality on the ground and we have to deal with it.
“As loyal party members, we will not take any step that is going to affect the interest, peace, order and good governance of this country.
“The emergence of the leadership of the National Assembly is a reality on ground as far as the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is concerned,’’ he said.
Monguno said the party had summoned them and urged them to continue to support the government so that the people would enjoy dividends of democracy.
He said: “They summoned us to support the government so that the lofty aims and objectives for which the Nigerian people supported the APC to form government is achieved to the fullest”.
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11 Comments
Democracy will work better than before if Femi G. has obliged to work and cooperate with his rival friend who defeated him. Man is man unlike Mrs Tinubu shameful action before the newly elected Senate President Saraki and the whole nation at large.
She should have bycotted the Senate entirely and stay at home until court decides. Because of money she will loose she just managed to come. showung that no intergrity is found in her character, but fail to realise that by the fact that she came out and stood in front of Senate President, it is sufficient evidence that she has spiritually agreed. Any court action is deemed to fail.
Your comment does not make sense. In US and developed countries (UK for example), the leader/s in line by seniority and position move forward to the leadership when the opposition wins. SW was not only instrumental in PMB winning the presidential election, he had unprecedented support from the SW APC Governors and elected officials. Similarly, the SW (APC) gave unprecedented support to Tambuwal, particularly the North. If the Northern next inline person had been stabbed in the back by SW, as they did Hon. Gbajabiamila, the case would had been different.
In addition, no where in US or UK, where a party in the majority would allow their opposition to be elected Deputy Senate Leader. Ekweremadu that was publicly known to take money bag to bribe father Mbeki – and now that is number 4 man in Nigeria. It makes mockery of the new change and election just completed. The whole world will again be laughing and not sure of Nigeria’s seriousness about corruption and impunity. So, if you must make comments, make it with with appropriateness.
My man Femi has accepted his defeat by his colleague.
lke Ekweremadu of PDP defeated APC candidate. The elections were transparent in both lower and upper chamber of the house. They have to choose the best among equals. APC leaders have accepted the result, Our President Buhari also ready to work with neat and gentle man like Ike. All Nigerians accepted the election except few selfish leaders from the SW. Why worry gentleman when you can pray. Be ye satisfied with Vice President.
One wondered why they abandoned the Senate assemble and went on a secrete meeting at International Conference Centre the very day of Senate lnaugration thinking that they are indispensable, as such, election will not hold. The tide turned against mischivious people. Their evil greedy plans could not work.
Citing USA or UK is irrelevant to butress your point because we are not operating full Presidential or Parliamentary system of government, Neither are they on ground to see what is happening in Nigeria. A name has not been coined for our own system of government until fully developed.
They are part time legislators with token allowances, why not cite this.
What our leaders did is ‘situation management’ within the frame work of the law so that the nation will not stumble.
If all officers are from SW the greatest fraud would occur that no expert in the world can dictate. All the institutions of Federal Gonvernment will be sold including oil blockc and no person can trace. .God said ‘NO’ I know their crude device, let there be balance, Ekwrremadu my son should be voted in, l will cause confusion in disdent APC camp’. this happened miraculously, behold Ekweremadu emerge. God changes natural order of things, when it is questioned, you hit your foot on the rock. Infinite wisdom will not allow any section of this country to hold us into ransome. You have serial OOO as your name. Why not yoor full identity. This is fraught and deceit and shows clearly the type of person that is fighting corruption.
My, friend your response is upside down. Yes, Nigeria operates (very full) Presidential system! Where does your fact comes from. A majority party produces the leaders. In US no votes for their leadership will occur in the Senste without full members there.
I don’t know who is greedy or funny here other than SE and PDP, where folks who just lost election will be cunny to sidetrack the Senate to rig themselves in the Deputy Senate. I just want to give that brief response to your comment.
OOO, l agreed that ‘majority party produces leaders’, this shuold be when they have capable and effective leaders, but where there is non, the prudent thing to do should be to beg the minority party to lend them a cool gentleman from them which both parties unanimously elected Senator Ike Ekweremadu from PDP so that the nation should move forward.
A senaate duties are to represent his constituencey, make laws for the nation, see how budget is appropriated, and carry out oversight function of the activities of the government.
What l know however is that all politicians in Nigeria are fighting for their individual pocket not for the national interest because of juicy money attached to the office of the Senate and contract they will influence to get. lf the office is made non attractive, many will dare to contest. You cannot compare the stardard of US or UK to Nigeria if we are honest to ourself.
Two of us are just argueing for nothing to idle away time. l am not a politician and would not be, unless you are.
I hear you my friend, but in a way still disagree and disappointed that a ‘gentleman’ is lending his arm. PDP was just voted out and as such Nigeria needs to start afresh. Time will tell what will happen to both Saraki, Ekeremadu, et al.
Take care
Thank you. God bless
Time has spoken already (the Police report did not even contain a single mention of Ike Ekweremadu). The next time time will speak is after 2019 elections. By that time APC would have collapsed on the weights of all the unrealistic promises it made in order to win the election. Stay tuned.
Ignorance of the law is no excuse. In Ferguson, MS, USA, Black people make up more than 60% of the population, but they are being governed by whites who makeup less than 35% of the population. Remember it is a democratic setup. If you have majority and they don’t vote, then your majority avails you nothing. It is only when you vote that people can feel the impact of your majority. If APC refuses to vote, then the minority will continue to run the show.
People forget that Ike Ekweremadu is a Senior Advocate and a former professor of Constitutional law at UNN. His name was not even mentioned once in the Police report.
Look at the way the speaker is shaking him like an errand boy. All that noise was for nothing. Area boys are like kids, they make the most noise shortly before they go to sleep.
We will review and take appropriate action.