Rep says only members will determine National Assembly leadership

The member representing Ezza North/Ishielu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Anayo Edwin Nwonu, has said that only the lawmakers and not President Muhammadu Buhari, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole and the APC will determine the National Assembly leadership.

In a chat with journalists in Abakaliki at the weekend shortly after offsetting the medical bills of nursing mothers at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki (AE-FUTHA), Nwonu maintained that the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) would definitely play a role in the emergence of the leadership of the National Assembly.

He described APC National Chairman as a barking dog who cannot near the National Assembly to make any input during election of the new leadership.

Nwonu, who was re-elected on the platform of PDP, faulted Oshiomhole’s insistence and his party’s claim that their preferred candidates must be elected, noting that the outcome of the results of the election of leadership of the Ninth National Assembly billed for inauguration in June will shock Oshiomhole and his party.

He vowed that the lawmakers would show Oshiomhole and his APC how to play politics on the leadership of the National Assembly, insisting that only the lawmakers will choose their leaders on the day of their inauguration.

He said: “Right now, you cannot conclude what will happen in the National Assembly until the day of inauguration. I want you to forget about party issues and propaganda by the All Progressives Congress (APC). Oshiomhole will be shocked of the outcome.

“Lawmakers’ politics is quite different from what you are seeing. On June 11 by the special grace of God when we will be inaugurated, you will see a different scenario playing out, you will see a different thing altogether playing and the President or Oshiomhole will not be inside the chambers.

“It is the lawmakers that will decide who they give their leadership. So for now, I will not let out the cat out of the bag on the game we are playing. That day of inauguration, Nigerians will see the politics we are playing.

“The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) will definitely play a role in the emergence of the leadership of the National Assembly. Whether they like it or not, PDP must play a role. But the role they will play, we do not know until the inauguration day.”