‘Speaker, supporters planning to defect to PDP,’ Gbajabiamila tells Buhari

monjola sotubo

July 2, 2015 5:26 PM

Gbajabiamila made the statement on Wednesday, July 1, 2015, during a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja.

House of Representatives member, Femi Gbajabiamila has alleged that Speaker, Yakubu Dogara and some of his members are planning to defect to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Gbajabiamila made the statement on Wednesday, July 1, 2015, during a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja.

The legislator also urged Buhari to caution Dogara and his 39 supporters.

Gbajabiamila said:

“It is noteworthy that Mr. President and the governors had strongly put their weight behind the party and had severally admonished the House to abide by the party’s position. The 39 APC members in the House continue to collude with the PDP to flagrantly disobey Mr. President, the governors and the party with a view to bringing the party and government to ridicule before Nigerians.

“The conduct of the 39 APC members colluding with the PDP is tantamount to affront, ultimately targeted at polarising our party so as to give room for many of them to decamp to the PDP. It is therefore imperative for Mr. President to take a stand and save the integrity of the party by cautioning the 39 members, which include the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker, to respect, honour and obey our party Leaders and their directives.

“In conclusion, Mr. President, we as loyal party members shall continue to abide by the party constitution, respect and honour our party leaders and their directives.”

“We strongly appeal to you to direct the Speaker to return to our fold and be truly elected Speaker on APC platform. He should be directed to announce the other four party principal officers positions as directed by the party as it has always been the convention.”

“We sincerely appreciate Mr. President for the audience trusting in his ability to successfully mediate so as to save our great party, the APC, from further embarrassment.”

The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the House of Reps were thrown into disarray when Dogara emerged as Speaker despite Gbajabiamila being chosen as the sole candidate for the post by the party.

The resulting leadership tussle led to a free-for-all in the House with pro-Dogara legislators fighting their pro-APC colleagues.

Buhari was reportedly also set to meet with Dogara on Wednesday. However no details of that meeting have been released.

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