APC must avoid repeating 2015 mistakes, contender for speaker warns
Henry Omunu, Abuja
Henry Omunu, Abuja
An aspirant for the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives in the 9th Assembly, Rep. Chike Okafor (APC/Imo) on Monday warned the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to avoid repeating the same pitfalls that made the ruling party lose the post of speaker to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015.
Rep. Okafor, who spoke when he appeared at a media chat with House of Representatives correspondents, urged the APC leadership to jettison the choice of Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila from the South West and Lagos state with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
Acknowledging the legislative credentials of Rep. Gbajabiamila as minority and majority leader, the aspirant however, stressed that the APC needs to prioritize national unity, national interest, social justice and equity by ensuring that other sections of the country feel a sense of inclusion under the Buhari administration.
A former commissioner in the government of Gov. Rochas Okorocha and incumbent Chairman, House Committee on Health Services, Rep. Okafor declared that House rules do not foreclose opposition parties fielding candidates for the position of principal officers and therefore, called for a quick resolution of all contending issues raised by other actors from marginalized geo-political zones.
He asserted that zoning the office of speakers to the South East will increase APC’s fortunes in the region ahead of the 2023 general polls, adding that the South East was the only place where the ruling party recorded over 100 per cent votes in 2019 general elections above the votes recorded in the 2015 general elections.
Responding to questions alleging intimidation of National Assembly members by the APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the House member dismissed the insinuations, arguing that Oshiomhole has only been lobbying lawmakers to endorse and vote for the party’s preferred candidate as speaker and had at no time threatened lawmakers who have expressed interest in the position.
However, the Imo lawmaker vowed not to work against the party during the election of principal officers for the 9th Assembly, in the event the APC’s leadership fails to shift ground on its position of adopting Rep. Gbajabiamila.
“If this agitation and push we are making do not work, I will not work against the party in June,” he maintained.
An aspirant for the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives in the 9th Assembly, Rep. Chike Okafor (APC/Imo) on Monday warned the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to avoid repeating the same pitfalls that made the ruling party lose the post of speaker to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015.
Rep. Okafor, who spoke when he appeared at a media chat with House of Representatives correspondents, urged the APC leadership to jettison the choice of Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila from the South West and Lagos state with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
Acknowledging the legislative credentials of Rep. Gbajabiamila as minority and majority leader, the aspirant however, stressed that the APC needs to prioritize national unity, national interest, social justice and equity by ensuring that other sections of the country feel a sense of inclusion under the Buhari administration.
A former commissioner in the government of Gov. Rochas Okorocha and incumbent Chairman, House Committee on Health Services, Rep. Okafor declared that House rules do not foreclose opposition parties fielding candidates for the position of principal officers and therefore, called for a quick resolution of all contending issues raised by other actors from marginalized geo-political zones.
He asserted that zoning the office of speakers to the South East will increase APC’s fortunes in the region ahead of the 2023 general polls, adding that the South East was the only place where the ruling party recorded over 100 per cent votes in 2019 general elections above the votes recorded in the 2015 general elections.
Responding to questions alleging intimidation of National Assembly members by the APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the House member dismissed the insinuations, arguing that Oshiomhole has only been lobbying lawmakers to endorse and vote for the party’s preferred candidate as speaker and had at no time threatened lawmakers who have expressed interest in the position.
However, the Imo lawmaker vowed not to work against the party during the election of principal officers for the 9th Assembly, in the event the APC’s leadership fails to shift ground on its position of adopting Rep. Gbajabiamila.
“If this agitation and push we are making do not work, I will not work against the party in June,” he maintained.
