PDP warns Gbajabiamila to steer clear of Reps minority leadership crisis

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday cautioned the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, to concentrate on his legislative duties and stop meddling into the internal affairs of the PDP.

In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiya, the party stated that the “caution is predicated on Mr Speaker’s reported needless interferences into the choice of leadership of the PDP caucus in the House of Representatives, leading to intimidation and threats of sanctions against PDP caucus leaders led by Rep. Kingsley Chinda.”

According to the statement, “the PDP, without equivocation, reminds Hon Gbajabiamila that as a party, we reserve the right to form a parliamentary caucus as well as choose the leaders of our caucus, as it obtains in parliaments, all over the world and the House of Representatives under Gbajabiamila, as Speaker, cannot be an exception.

“The leadership of the House is aware that whereas members from minority parties decided on the minority leadership, a party and its members have the right to form a caucus and select leaders of such caucus accordingly, without interference by the leadership of the House or members of other political parties in the legislature.

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“The PDP reminds the leadership of the House that our party had directed that the affairs of the PDP caucus be organised and managed by Hon. Kingsley Chinda, Hon. Yakubu Barde, Hon. Chukwuma Onyema and Hon. Muraina Ajibola, this position has not changed.

“The PDP recognises the caucus roles of our members and they have the instructions of our party to do so.

“Our party, therefore, calls on the Speaker to respect our choice of leadership for the PDP caucus in the House of Representatives. Our choice has not in any way contravened any rules or pose any threats to the statutory running of the House of Representatives.

“Mr Speaker should, therefore, steer clear and bury the thoughts of punishing the loyal members of our party just because they are obedient to the decisions of the PDP.

He should rather focus on giving the House of Representatives the much-needed leadership direction to proffer solutions to the myriads of economic and security challenges confronting our nation today instead of hounding our loyal members and meddling into the internal affairs of our party.”