Defection: Leave Dogara alone, group warns APC

A group of concerned members of the House of Representatives under the umbrella of Parliamentary Democrats Group (PDG) at the weekend warned the All Progressives Congress (APC) to desist from surreptitious attempts to prevent the Speaker, Hon Yakubu Dogara from dumping the party for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying the Party was just wasting its time.

The group, in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Hon. Timothy Simon Golu after a marathon meeting in Abuja on Sunday declared that desperate attempts by the APC to ensure that the speaker does not defect to another party “is a futile one and a sheer waste of time”.

The lawmaker who is the chairman of the House of Representatives committee on legislative budget and research declared that it was laughable that the APC was now running cap in hand begging the speaker to remain in a party that had for so long failed to acknowledge his relevance and contributions to its existence.

According to the Statement,  “nemesis has now caught up with the party as the speaker and other men of conscience have decided to pitch their tents with a party (PDP) that recognises that the collective gain of Nigerians is greater than a few primordial interests”.

“Rt Hon Yakubu Dogara will defect to any party he chooses without fear of impeachment from his position as the Speaker of the House of Representatives

“Hon Dogara was not elected by the All Progressives Congress to be the speaker of the House of Representatives and as such, the party cannot take it away from him

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“It is common knowledge that the APC worked against his emergence but other members who saw and recognised his nationalistic spirit voted for him. In any case, he is the speaker of the House of Representatives and not of the All Progressives Congress”,

‎The group further stated that “If the APC loved Dogara so much and wanted him to remain in its fold, why did they humiliate him during the ward congresses where the Speaker and all his associates were schemed out and humiliated even though he is the highest political office holder from the northeast and number four citizen in the country”.

The group which accused the APC of impunity and undemocratic practices pointed out that “the APC under the leadership of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is a party of pretenders and hypocrites who think they are demigods that all must serve and pay obeisance to whether they do right or wrong”.

According ‎to it, “Nigerians are now wiser and have fully discovered their gimmicks and games and will no longer be deceived as we approach the 2019 general elections

“Already, the PDP is the majority in the House and we expect more members from the APC”.

The Parliamentary Democrats Group, according to the statement boasts of over 240 members of the House across political parties assuring that they were “solidly behind Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara and will ensure that he remains as speaker even after his defection to any party”