Gentlemen of the Press:
I am Representative Nasiru
Sani Zangon Daura of the All Progressive
Congress (APC) representing Zango/Baure Federal
Constituency of Katsina State. We are here on
behalf of our colleagues of the APC House Caucus to
explain to you the unfortunate occurrence during today’s
plenary session.
The action that occurred inside the chamber of the House of
Representatives was in reaction to the illegal and
unconstitutional action taken by Speaker Yakubu Dogara of
the House of Representatives, an action in his usual
tradition of total disregard to the wishes of the majority
members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Caucus,
the Party itself and the spirit of the Party.
We are aware of a letter sent by our Party, the All
Progressives Congress (APC) dated 23rd June 2015
conveying the approval of the Party’s Principal Officers vis
a vis the APC House Leader, the APC Chief Whip, the APC
Deputy House Leader and the APC Deputy Chief Whip for
the House of Representatives.
This letter by the Party is in compliance with the expressed
wish and mandate of the Majority Members of the All
Progressives Congress APC Caucus in the House of
Representatives.
This action of the Party and the APC House Caucus is in
compliance with the Nigerian Constitution, the House Rules
and Parliamentary tradition, practices and precedents in
Nigeria and all over the World.
But to our surprise and in breach of our privilege and rights
as contained in the Constitution and extant House Rules,
Mr. Speaker refused to read the letter from our party.
The Speaker and Deputy Speaker are not Party Principal
Officers but are House of Representatives Presiding
Officers and by precedent and practice are expected to
provide a level playing ground for all members, while the
Party Principal Officers are supposed to be the main
advocates for their individual party positions.
The Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the House of
Representatives are elected by all members of the House of
Representatives irrespective of party affiliation and it is also
possible under our extant rules for a Speaker and his
Deputy to be elected from a minority/opposition party in the
National Assembly.
Therefore, Speaker Yakubu Dogara of the House of
Representatives cannot under extant Laws and House Rules
Appoint, Choose, Select, Dictate or even provide guidance
on how Party Principal Officers emerge or are elected or
selected. That responsibility and authority lies with each
Party and Party’s Caucus members in the House.
If I may ask is Speaker Yakubu Dogara empowered to do
that for the PDP House Caucus???
This action, by Speaker Yakubu Dogara cannot and will not
be allowed to stand as it will set a dangerous precedent in
our parliamentary practice as it will give the Speaker the
right and authority to appoint, Choose, Select, Dictate or
even provide guidance on how Principal Officers emerge or
are elected or selected by the Majority and Minority Parties
in the House of Representatives. This action is capable of
truncating our democracy.
As for the claim being made that a particular zone should
not be allowed to produce more than one Principal Officer,
we say and we say this with all sense of decorum, that this
claim is absolutely RUBBISH!!
Precedences were set in the 6th & 7th Assemblies where a
single zone, the Northwest, produced two and three
Principal Officers, respectively.
We the loyal and disciplined majority APC Caucus in the
House of Representatives are fully committed in ensuring
that our party’s and President Muhammadu Buhari’s
manifesto, agenda and positions prevail despite the efforts
and shenanigans of the opposition party(s) and the few
disloyal and undisciplined APC party members in the House
of Representatives.
We are determined in our efforts, to utilize all legislative
strategies available to us, so as to ensure the compliance
with due process and democratic norms and values.
We shall persevere, come rain come shine!
We the loyal and disciplined majority APC Caucus in the
House of Representatives and the All Progressives
Congress have dished out enough of the carrots, it’s time to
crack the whip so as to ensure party discipline and maintain
order.
Dare I say, we rode to power on the platform of the party,
the party is supreme and thus no one is above the party!
God Bless the All Progressives Congress!
God Bless The House of Representatives!!
God Bless Nigeria!!!
Thank You for listening
Source: SAHARA REPORTERs.
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