• Tuesday, March 19, 2024
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BusinessDay

Saraki, Dogara selfish, we won’t repeat 2015 mistakes- Oshiomhole

Adams Oshiomhole

Indications emerged last night that the All Progressive Congress APC leadership will do everything to ensure that only those approved by the party emerged as leaders of the National Assembly

The party has also insisted on maintaining its grip on the leadership of juicy committees of the 9th National Assembly.

Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole gave the indications while speaking with State House Correspondents after the meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and newly elected APC members of the House of Representatives, insisting that the party will take full advantage of the current majority it enjoys in the National Assembly.

Oshiomhole who is happing on the 223 elected APC members in the House of Representatives out of a total of 306 and about 67 APC Senators out of 109, said the party has instructed its members not to share what belongs the it.

The party’s position, coming against the backdrop of current political horse trading and intensive lobbying by contestants to woo their colleagues from the opposition may put it jeopardy.

The party had during the meeting prevailed on its members elect to adopt Femi Gbajabiamila from Lagos State as its candidate for the position of the Speaker of the House of Representatives in the 9th Assembly.

But Oshiomhole who described the meeting as “ very rewarding” said the members have agreed to work with President Buhari.

“ All, on their own, speaker after speaker, across the zone, pledged to work together for PMB to give him a landmark foundation for a new Nigeria.

“I am confident that this time around, they are very hungry Nigerians ready to deliver on the mandates at the campaigns.

He described the present leadership of the National Assembly as hostile, adding that “they created tension in the system, delayed budget needlessly, and created all obstacles to frustrate the government.

“In life, mistakes are permitted but it becomes a problem if the mistake is repeated twice. We are determined not to repeat the mistakes of 2015 in 2019, we have learnt our lesson.

“In other climes, you don’t go into coalition when you are in the majority, you do so when you don’t have the numbers. We have the numbers, out of 306, Nigerians elected 223 APC members because they don’t want Mr. president to face the trauma of 2015.

Observing that most of those who had decamped from the APC were rejected, Oshiomhole said “even those who led it were uprooted”, adding that “We cannot as a party which has a comfortable majority, entrust critical committees in the hands of the PDP or opposition.”

“If Nigerians wanted them, they could have voted them. In the days of PDP, every committee were chaired by PDP members.

“Saraki and Dogara are selfish and greedy, adding that “ We do not need to do business with the devil for us to survive in the ninth Assembly.

“In African family, we sit down in a closed door to address issues, the good news is that there is a role for everyone.

He dismissed fears that the 9th National Assembly will be a rubber stamp, he declared that “ neither mr president nor the party expects the National Assembly to be rubber stamps, we don’t have rubbers…But we will not fight in Wuse market.”

“Both the re-elected and new members are entitled to heading committees

“We have asked our people not to share what belongs to us with other party members. I don’t have apologies against forces of retrogression.

 

Tony Ailemen, Abuja