National chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has chided the leadership of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party over the latter decision to investigate the choice of its lawmakers in the election that produced certain principal officers of the National Assembly.
Speaking on Monday when he met with a delegation of APC chieftains from Kano state, Comrade Oshiomhole said the stance of the Prince Uche Secondus led PDP was an aberration in a democracy.
He said:” The way the manner they did, such that the PDP that was calling for the secret ballot because they didn’t want people to know how people voted are now the one conducting an enquiry who voted for who among them. This is a complete violation of the essence of the secret ballot. The idea of a secret ballot is that nobody should know who voted for who. Now, PDP is going down the history as a party that seeks to investigate how people voted in the secret ballot. That is a gross violation of the most basic principles of democracy with regards to the secret ballot. That is why we are better and different and I’m very proud of all of you.”
The APC national chairman also told the delegation led by the deputy governor of Kano state, Nasiru Gawuna why the party settled for Honourable Al Hassan Ado Doguwa from Kano state as Majority leader, House of Representatives.
Comrade Oshiomhole said the Northwest delivered the highest number of votes to the APC presidential candidate in the last election, President Muhammadu Buhari.
“I am deliberately appreciative of the fact that you have very senior people in the two chambers of National Assembly who, by any definition could have aspired for any of those positions that have already been determined namely: Senate President, Deputy Senate President, House Speaker and deputy Speaker because if we look at the voting pattern of the country, there is no question that Kano delivered the highest number of votes.
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” This is a fact that nobody can wish away, it cannot be overemphasized by those numbers because politics is a game of numbers. It is those numbers that made us win the Presidency. Without those numbers, we won’t be in the office. Incidentally, I reflect between the President’s vote and the first runner up, Atiku. It is about 3.8 million. If you delete Kano votes from that, the votes will come down. If parts of those votes swing to the other side. So, no one can downplay the value of the support this party enjoys from the good people of Kano State as represented by you Honourables.
“As we are having conversations, we have to ask ourselves, as a National Party, we do have obligations to try to reflect and ensure that the six geopolitical zones are well represented. In doing so, we recognize that if we are not in power, we will not be able to talk of representation. So, we cannot, even in doing that, downplay the role of numbers and so, it is based on this that we are having regards to sacrifices that other people have made. To whom much is given, much is expected. Kano has given us a lot as a party, has given a lot to our President and we must therefore reciprocate.
“We also appreciate the leadership that governor Ganduje has provided. Not only in terms of governing Kano State but also his contribution to strengthening the APC. He has handled a very sensitive national assignment for the party to help it conduct elections. His commitment to the party is not in doubt whatsoever.
“This is the sentiment that formed the idea of zoning the leadership of the House to Kano.