Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The All Progressives Congress (APC), has expressed satisfaction that the National Assembly is gearing to take over the Edo and Bauchi states Houses of Assembly due to the failure of authorities of both states to properly constitute the leadership of both Houses.
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, who made the statement during a media parley, said that the actions of both chambers of the National Assembly to take over the states’ Houses were in accordance with the stipulations of the Nigeria constitution.
Asked the plans of the ruling party regarding the crisis, the party’s spokesperson said: “As for what we should do as a party, the law has stipulated what should happen and that is that the National Assembly is clearly empowered to take over in a situation where it is clear that the State Assembly is incapable of conducting its business.
“We are glad to know that the respective chambers are already doing what they are supposed to do. Every other thing bordering on godfather, godson or godmother is not relevant to this issue. The question is: “did you do the right thing the right way? And the answer is that he didn’t. So, he should go and do the right thing,” he noted.
Earlier in his speech, Onilu noted that: “The issues are about Bauchi and Edo states’ Houses of Assembly but I want to refocus the (attention of the) public through the media on what the issues are.
“The issue is the proper inauguration of the states’ Assemblies. Every other issue around it is unimportant to us. In Bauchi, we all saw what happened; out of 31-member House of Assembly about 11 members hurriedly gathered themselves and purportedly inaugurated the House. That is taking us back five, six, seven years. Nigeria has passed that stage.
“In Edo also, you have a situation where nine members some of them in (pairs of) shorts hurriedly got together and inaugurated the House and even put in place a leadership structure to run the House of Assembly when they have 24 members who are legitimate members of the legislature.
“The media have actually not focused on what the issues are. The media have allowed themselves to be led astray from the issues. It is a standard we want to apply anywhere whether it is PDP state, or APC state. The rule of law has to be followed, and we have demonstrated even as a party at the national level.
“I feel ashamed as a member of APC that an APC state (Edo) is involved in (this) impunity. That is not the kind of reputation we want to have. We would have conveniently dealt with Bauchi because Bauchi is a PDP state and whatever is going on there is not strange because that is what has been in the PDP
“We are no longer going to allow it no matter what. This is the issue, not somebody claiming that he is not allowed to govern. I don’t understand exactly what that is supposed to mean,” he noted.