The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) cautions the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, to concentrate on his
legislative duties and end his meddling into the internal affairs of the
PDP.
The caution is predicated on Mr. Speaker’s reported needless
interferences into the choice of leadership of the PDP Caucus in the
House of Representatives, leading to intimidation and threats of
sanctions against PDP Caucus leaders led by Hon. Kingsley Chinda.
The PDP, without equivocation, reminds Hon. Gbajabiamila that as a
party, we reserve the right to form a parliamentary caucus as well as
choose the leaders of our caucus, as it obtains in parliaments, all over
the world and the House of Representatives under Gbajabiamila, as
Speaker, cannot be an exception.
The leadership of the House is aware that whereas members from minority
parties decided on the Minority leadership, a party and its members have
the right to form a caucus and select leaders of such caucus
accordingly, without interference by the leadership of the House or
members of other political parties in the legislature.
The PDP reminds the leadership of the House that our party had directed
that the affairs of the PDP caucus be organized and managed by Hon.
Kingsley Chinda, Hon. Yakubu Barde, Hon. Chukwuma Onyema and Hon.
Muraina Ajibola. This position has not changed.
The PDP recognizes the caucus roles of our members and they have the
instructions of our party to do so.
Our party therefore calls on the Speaker to respect our choice of
leadership for the PDP Caucus in the House of Representatives. Our
choice has not in any way contravened any rules or pose any threats to
the statutory running of the House of Representatives.
Mr. Speaker should, therefore, steer clear and bury the thoughts of
punishing the loyal members of our party just because they are obedient
to the decisions of the PDP.
He should rather focus on giving the House of Representatives the
much-needed leadership direction to proffer solutions to the myriads of
economic and security challenges confronting our nation today instead of
hounding our loyal members and meddling into the internal affairs of our
party.
Signed:
Kola Ologbondiyan
National Publicity Secretary
