Gbajabiamila’s Emergence As Majority Leader Shows Buhari Not Man Of His Words – PDP Reps

Femi GbajabiamilaThe Peoples Democratic Party caucus in the House of Representatives said on Sunday that its members reeled in shock at the revelation that President Muhammadu Buhari actually supported Femi Gbajabiamila’s ambition to become the Majority Leader of the House.
The All Progressives Congress had endorsed Gbajabiamila as its sole candidate for the position of Speaker but he lost to Yakubu Dogara, also of the APC, due to the overwhelming support the latter got from PDP Reps’ members.
He was again put forward by the party as candidate for Majority Leader but the insistence by Dogara to abide by Federal Character principle in selecting occupants for the remaining principal offices led to a 49-day intense leadership tussle between members loyal to the Speaker and those loyal to Gbajabiamila and the APC.
The crisis was only just resolved last Tuesday following the intervention of President Buhari.
However, the PDP lawmakers stated on Sunday that the latest revelation that Mr. Buhari was backing Gbajabiamila to be the Majority Leader was contrary to his initial public declaration that he would remain neutral in the choices of the principal officers of the National Assembly.
At an interactive session with journalists in Abuja last Friday, Gbajabiamila had disclosed how he wanted to opt out of the race to allow for peace to reign in the House but was admonished to stay put by the president.
He was quoted as saying: “But, on principle, the President did not accept it (that he should give up fighting); my party did not accept it and I thank God for the kind of confidence they have in me to be able to deliver the goods for the party”.
“Who am I to say no? It was on principle that we stayed on course”, he added.
Speaking on behalf of the caucus, the Minority Whip of the House, Mr. Yakubu Barde, noted that it would appear that President Buhari was speaking from both sides of the mouth when he earlier declared that he had no particular interest in who emerges what in the National Assembly.
Barde pointed out that the revelation by Gbajabiamila had also thrown up the question as to who between the president and House leader had lied to Nigerians.
The caucus whip stated, “However, with the latest revelation by Gbajabiamila, we are not sure who is telling the truth between the two men.
“It is either one of them lied to Nigerians or both men jointly and separately lied.
“If as Gbajabiamila claimed, Buhari did influence his emergence as House leader, it will rather be unfortunate that the President is not a man of his words and Nigerians should now begin to scrutinise every word that emanates from him.
“We are alarmed by this development because it portends grave danger for our democracy and the independence of the legislature.
“The President must resist the temptation to use his power and influence to compromise the institution of the National Assembly by directly involving himself in the process of emergence of the principal officers of the House”.
The PDP caucus said the development also suggested that President Buhari actually belonged to “a few people” as against his inauguration declaration of “I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody”.

2 COMMENTS

  1. Pdp people did you reall. Know what you are doing? Hopeless and useless peoples on earth shameless looters you bankrupt nigeria and now we are saved from your rule of tyranny & you are just barking like a dogs even donkeys are better than you mumus leave us alone and prepare to return our stolen monies thieves hopeless & clueless peoples…..thank God we have active president man of his words…nigeria united w. Stand

  2. Can this Yakubu Barde understand what he’s talking about? Did he expect Buhari to keep quiet while the NASS principal officers are taken over by wolfs in sheep clothing? Barde and his cohorts have not shed their toga of PDP before putting on that of APC. They’re PDP moles in the NASS.