10th NASS: Aggrieved Reps-elect storm APC Headquarters, protest against zoning formula
Joel Oladele, Abuja
The leadership tussle of the 10th assembly has continued unabated as aggrieved House of Representatives members-elect stormed the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), National Secretariat to express their grievances over the zoning formula of principal offices in the green chamber.
The deputy speaker, 9th House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Idris Wase who was accompanied by some House members appealed to the National Chairman, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu and other members of the National Working Committee, NWC, to have a rethink regarding the sharing formulas of offices in the 10th Assembly.
Wase while speaking to the leadership of the party on Wednesday said he came with people who have been aspiring for the speakership of the house and lamented that some of the aspirants were not called for the meeting that agreed to zone the position to the North-West while the deputy was zone to South-East.
“To say these are the people that had been picked by the party and as I speak to you, sir. I want to say categorically that none of us here was approached or consulted even for a second to find our opinion and thought on what was going to be done or what has happened. First, we said its on social media, and any plan could come up
“Unfortunately, yesterday while watching television, we saw the spokespersons of our party confirming that there was negotiation or consultation. And that was why those lists were produced. It’s unfortunate,” he said.
The Deputy Speaker noted that they were betrayed by the action of the party as their contributions were not needed while the party was taking its decision.
“We feel betrayed by that action, we feel that as if our contributions are looked down upon , we feel as if we are not members of this family. We feel that our contributions are no longer needed”.
Speaking on his leadership in the House of Representatives, he said “I’ve served you as deputy leader of the House of Representatives, now serving you as Deputy Speaker of the house. If you are going to do anything, what makes you think I’m not qualified? And if you’re going to look to the sideways, what makes you look and think that I was not qualified?”
Responding to their demand on behalf of the the party’s NWC, Adamu assured the aggrieved members they would do all the consultations and get back to them
He said, “If I know something I know it better from your various presentations. As leaders of the party, you are part of people that elected us; we cannot but listen to you, we cannot but try to understand you, we cannot but try to live to the article of faith to our great party.
“We have listened to you, we don’t intend to open discussions right now with you as in respect of your submissions. Until we agree we are going to change if we don’t agree we would not change.
“Like some of you who listened to a release from this office we did say it very clearly, that we would endeavour to do more consultations so that we can carry everyone along with us.
“There is nothing we do that may not be challenged here and there but let us be able to attend the best possible to consult with people giving them their right of fair hearing before we can say yes we are changing positions or we are not changing positions. So, I want to thank you for coming,” he said.
Recall that the national working committee of the APC had last weekend zoned the Senate Presidential position to South- South, speakership position to North- West.
