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Details have emerged on how the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, conceded the position of House Leader to the former Minority Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.
It was gathered that following the directive from President Muhammadu Buhari to the gladiators of the warring Consolidation Group headed by Dogara and the Loyalists’ Group headed by Gbajabiamila on Monday night, both camps had resolved to maintain the party’s arrangement, but allow the APC zonal caucuses to decide the occupants by election.
Dogara might however have realised that he would not be able to secure any positions for his loyalists if he allowed the matter to be decided by election.
A source told THISDAY that already, the All Progressives Congress (APC) members from the North-west were considering nominating another member other than Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa.
Some of the them, including Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, were said to be miffed at the manner Doguwa quickly abandoned Gbajabiamila and pitched his tent with the Consolidation Group, when he was offered the position of House Leader.
Hon. Pally Iriase who was also offered the position of Chief Whip, was also considered to have betrayed the cause of party supremacy.
Both men, before they formally accepted and defended their acceptance of the nominations, were key members of the Gbajabiamila caucus.
“After plenary yesterday, the APC members were supposed to head to the secretariat, where the elections would be conducted. But the Speaker decided if the matter went to election, he might not be able to get Doguwa and Iriase on board. Remember that he went out during the debate on the legislative agenda while Lasun took over. Likely he went to decide on the matter” a source told THISDAY.
THISDAY further gathered that Gbajabiamila was taken by surprise by the announcement, which the Speaker made when he returned to the floor of the House, because he, Gbajabiamila, was expecting to go for elections as agreed in the resolution.
“So in the end, while he conceded the major position of contention to Gbajabiamila, his loyalists occupy the other positions. He chose Buba Fibrin over Monguno, but obviously Monguno would also be given commensurate appointment,” the source added.
The positions as announced on Tuesday by Dogara are Deputy Leader, Hon. Buba Jibrin (North-central), Chief Whip- Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa (North-west)and Deputy Chief Whip- Hon. Pally Iriase (South-south).
THISDAY gathered that steps are being taken by the different caucuses to try to mend fences which have been badly fractured in the last few weeks of wrangling.
Meanehile, former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the fatherly role he played in the resolution of the National Assembly crisis.
Atiku said the peaceful resolution of the House of Representatives leadership crisis, which until now, had bogged down the activities of the House was as a result of compromise and accommodation of interests.
In a statement released by his Media Office in Abuja Wednesday, the former vice-president recalled that the amicable outcome of the tension was in line with his earlier position that compromise and accommodation were necessary in ending the deadlock.
According to the former vice-president, the opposing sides have demonstrated maturity, wisdom and sense of patriotism by finally arriving at a workable compromise.
He said in any compromise, you win some and lose some of your demands, explaining that he was constantly disturbed by how the crisis was adversely affecting the change agenda of the APC administration.
He therefore, called on the warring parties in the House of Representatives to put the bitterness of the crisis behind them, and direct their energies towards the success of the governing APC administration.
However, the APC Caucus in the House of Representatives held their inaugural meeting late last night.
The gathering was the first time all APC House members would meet since the wrangling that followed the election of the presiding officers of the House, and announcement of principal officers.
It would also be the first time the Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, and Majority Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, would sit together as one caucus.
The lawmakers are expected to outline the party’s agenda in the lower chambers and discuss some communication that had been sent in by President Muhammadu Buhari.
THISDAY gathered that the meeting was also intended to mend fences in the fractured caucus due to the need for all party House members to work together.
The meeting which started at about 9.30p.m., was ongoing as at press time.
CREDIT – THISDAY
