Last week, specifically from Wednesday, caucus of the leading opposition political party in the House of Representatives, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), engaged aspirants for speakership of the House’s 9th assembly. The parley was to continue, and ended on Thursday. Joshua Egbodo writes.
Horse trading is an element of politicking, but it has never been this open, that an opposition caucus would subject aspirants to some level of grilling, in order to arrive at a choice but it appeared the aspirants were comfortable.
Those who appeared
In attendance were, honourables John Dyegh (Benue), Nkiruka Onyejeocha (Abia), Umar Bago (Niger), Segun Odebunmi, Olajide Olatubosun (Oyo), and Majority Leader of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila (Lagos), as well as Emeka Nwajuiba (Imo).
What they told the caucus
The aspirants who took turns to address the caucus on their plans for the coming house if elected speaker, all pledged inclusive leadership, apparently in order to address the controversial statement credited to national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) that no committee of the parliament would be headed by opposition members.
John Dyegh
First on the roll call was Dyegh (APC). He promised the PDP caucus that if elected speaker, he would pursue the amendment of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) to ensure legislative experience counts by extending the four-year tenure of lawmakers to six years.
He said he would initiate evidence-based legislations by ensuring enhanced capacity and improved welfare of legislators and legislative support services through training and retraining to enable the 9th National Assembly pass what he called national priority laws, in critical sectors such as security, employment and productivity, power and agriculture.
He added that he would strive to “sustain and deepen independence of the National Assembly and ensure harmonious interdependent working relationship with the executive arm of government without undermining the principles of separation of powers”.
Umar Bago
Bago (APC) in his presentation, pledged to share all committees equally between the party and opposition adding that all committees would be equitably distributed “in a proportionate manner”. His presentation was to elicit a standing ovation from the PDP members, with a dramatic suggestion that there was no need to go on with the engagement of aspirants.
Nkiruka Onyejeocha
On her part, Onyejeocha (APC) promised to also run an all-inclusive leadership with all members being carried along. She said she would ensure that the relationship between the executive, legislature and the judiciary remain cordial if given the opportunity as speaker of the 9th House of Representatives.
Olajide Olatubosun
Also appearing before the caucus, Olajide Olatunbosun (APC), who is tipped to have concluded plans to make his bid public in few days to come, called on members to rise up and save Nigeria’s democracy from forces that want to dominate the nation’s polity. His campaign focus had been against any form of imposition of leadership of the coming house.
“Our democracy is at risk and we must stand to be counted and rescue it from forces bent on appropriating it to their selfish ends. We are united by a common destiny and we don’t want the house to be controlled by external forces. We run three tiers of government and we must not allow ourselves to be cowed”, he submitted.
Emeka Nwajuiba
Similarly, Emeka Nwajuiba (Accord Party) the only known aspirant at the moment, who is coming from an opposition political party, promised to engage the executive by building a cordial and sustainable relationship with all arms of government.
Femi Gbajabiamila
Incumbent majority leader, Gbajabiamila (APC), who was not available on Wednesday, made his appearance the following day. He was out on consultation with stakeholders in the southern part of Nigeria.
When he appeared before the PDP caucus on Thursday however, a new twist was added to the engagement, as midway into the discussion, the lawmaker requested that the media be excused. This was obliged by the members. Back in open session, Gbajabiamila personally reported what transpired during the closed door meet. He said he had told his colleagues from the PDP that under him as speaker, “the 9th house will be an improvement on the 8th. It will be a continuous progress until we get to where we ought to be”.
On his experience, especially form the hindsight of being a minority leader in the house for years, he noted that his speakership would be an opportunity for the house to have one man, who has seen a lot, especially form the opposition’s perspective. “I have been there, I mean the opposition. So I know where the shoe pinches”, he said and promised an all-inclusive leadership, if elected. His appearance marked the end of the open engagement.
No deal, no preferred candidate yet
After the engagement, the PDP caucus announced that it had no deal or preference for any of the aspirants yet. Deputy minority leader, Chukwuka Onyema, who led the caucus through the interactions, said it would have loved to, but no deal yet.
According to the lawmaker, the PDP caucus will “sit down, study and analyze all the submissions (of the aspirants), before arriving at a conclusion”.
He explained that the caucus has listened to the aspirants, who have separately told members why they wanted to become speaker and how to improve the house, adding that none however felt he or she can scale the hurdle without support of the minority parties.
Speaking on whether the caucus has made a deal with any of the contestants, he said “I wish I do. I wish I do, but no deal”.
Who gets the backing of the caucus?
At the moment, it is unclear who amongst the aspirants may get the endorsement of the PDP and other opposition members in the coming house. Unlike in the 8th assembly, where the opposition political parties acted as one entity, and delivered their preferred candidate, incumbent speaker Yakubu Dogara, a lot of inroads have been reportedly made by the blessed candidate of the ruling APC, Gbajabiamila, who, many said, have been schooled from his experience of the 8th house, where he lost.
The power game is intensifying by the day, and what steps the opposition might take next can only be explained in a matter of days.
