Ganduje, Oshiomhole push for Doguwa’s reinstatement as House leader

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) may reinstate Alhassan Ado Doguwa as the leader of the House of Representatives.

The party’s National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, dropped the hint when Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje led Kano State National Assembly members to pay him a solidarity visit in his Abuja office.

Oshiomhole explained that there was no need displacing Doguwa since he retained his Doguwa/Tudunwada Federal Constituency seat in the re-run election held on Saturday last week.

He described Doguwa as a loyal member of the party whose contribution to debates on the floor of the House of Representatives had been of immense benefit to the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

“We of the APC give God the glory in your victory. We appreciate your leadership in the House before court upturned your victory. You contributed your quota and have elevated the quality of debate in House. I am sure your colleagues can’t wait to have you back in the position you occupied before,” he said.

Oshiomhole, who recalled how the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, and the Deputy House Leader, Peter Akpatason, paid a solidarity visit to Doguwa prior to the re-run election, expressed optimism that Doguwa would be roundly endorsed as the House leader when the chamber reconvenes today.

“Let me say that from the reaction of your colleagues, the speaker was in Kano, the deputy leader was also in Kano and it was not for nothing that they chose not to fill that position because, like members of your constituency who elected you, they were also waiting to reelect you.

“I believe that God gave you a second chance. That the speaker was in Kano means that he holds you in high esteem. They deliberately decided not to fill the vacancy and just like us, they were confident that the people of your constituency would return you to the House. I don’t think I should say more than that,” Oshiomhole said.

The APC chairman, who reiterated his party’s faith in the judiciary, said that Doguwa’s victory underlined the acceptability of the APC by the electorate in Kano State just as he faulted the notion that the party was losing ground to the opposition due to the crises rocking it in parts of the country.

Ganduje disclosed that the APC retained two out of the three House of Representatives seats as well as four House of Assembly seats during the rerun election.

Doguwa, who poured encomiums on Ganduje and Oshiomhole over the role they played in his reelection, restated his loyalty to the party. He also promised to discharge his duties as the House leader if reconsidered for the plum job.