Reps Speaker Dagora shuns APC's letter

The Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has
explained that he was unable to act on
the letter forwarded to him by the
leadership of the All Progressives
Congress because of a pending court
case.
Speaking at a parley with former House
Representatives members,
Representative Dogara, however, said
that the fracas that occurred in the
House of Reps chambers last Thursday
(June 25) was inexcusable and
unacceptable.
The Speaker said that although he had
wanted to act on the party’s letter
nominating some persons as principal
officers of the House, as a law abiding
citizen he was compelled to do otherwise
as a result of a pending court case
instituted by about 36 APC lawmakers
from the North Central zone.
The APC lawmakers alleged that the
party had schemed them out in violation
of constitutional provision on Federal
Character Principle.
He said that the tradition has been that
the six principal positions are shared
evenly among the six geopolitical zones
of the country in accordance with the
Federal Character Principle.
The national leadership of the All
Progressives Congress (APC) had decided
on the party’s position on principal
officers of the 8th House of
Representatives.
According to reports from the National
Assembly on Tuesday, June 23 2015, the
APC had written to the Speaker of the
House, Yakubu Dogara, listing out the
lawmakers that should fill the party’s
remaining four leadership positions.
For House Leader, Honourable Femi
Gbajabiamila from South-west zone
was selected and Honourable Ado
Doguwa of the North-west zone was
nominated for the position of Deputy
House Leader.
Honourable Mohammed Monguno from
the North-east zone was chosen as the
Chief Whip while Honourable Pally Iriase
from the South-south zone was
selected for Deputy Chief Whip.
Plenary at the House of
Representatives was disrupted by some
members over the nomination of
principal officers. The disruption on
Thursday by some lawmakers, who
protested a call by the Speaker for an
Executive Session, turned the session
into a rowdy one.