The honourable member who represents Zango/Baure Federal Constituency of Katsina state on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) told pressmen in Abuja that the affray that occurred inside the chamber of the House of Representatives was in reaction to the illegal and unconstitutional action which the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, had taken.
Hon. Nasiru described the Speaker’s action as being in his usual tradition of total disregard to the wishes of the majority members of the APC’s Caucus, the party itself and the spirit of the party.
Nasiru who spoke on behalf of the APC House Caucus to explain the unfortunate occurrence said that they are aware of a letter sent APC’s national leadership 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.
According to him, “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 privileges 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.”
The honourable member emphasized that 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. He noted that such responsibility and authority lies with each Party and Party’s Caucus members in the House.
Stating further, the embittered honourable pointed out that the action by Dogara cannot be allowed to stand as it will set a dangerous precedent in house’s parliamentary proceedings 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,” he said.
The house member asserted that the loyal and disciplined majority APC Caucus in the House of Representatives are fully committed in ensuring that the 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 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. We rode to power on the platform of the party, the party is supreme and thus no one is above the party!” he concluded.
It would be noted that the Senate president, Bukola Saraki, has reportedly blocked attempts by his colleagues to challenge the emergence of senator Ike Ekweremadu of the Peoples Democratic Party.
