Speaker, House of Reps, accused of Marginalizing APC.

The All Progressives Congress, APC loyalists of Femi Gbajabiamila in the House of Representatives has accused Speaker Yakubu Dogara of declaring war against the party.

Speaking at the press briefing Musa Sarkin-Ada, member representing Gada/Goronyo constituency of Sokoto state said “the composition of head ships of committees must be seen for what it is a declaration of war against the APC and the presidency all calculated at sabotaging the majority advantage that APC enjoys, with ultimate aim of rolling back the electoral victory of our party.

He added that the composition of Chairmen and Deputy Chairmen of committees was a clear manifestation of the marginalization of the ruling APC .

Sarkin-Ada said under the 7th assembly headed by Hon. Aminu Tambuwal , the then majority party – PDP got 63 out of 89 committees of the House which constituted 71% share of the committee while the minority parties ( ACN, ANPP, CPC and others) got only 26 out of 89 committees which underscores the fact that the minority got only 29% share of the committees.

He further said, under Speaker Yakubu Dogara the majority party – APC got 50% share of the committees, same with the PDP and other minority parties which equally got 50% .

The group said no legislature in the world had ever shared committees 50:50 basis between the majority and minority parties.

He concluded that ” it is curious that strategic committees such as petroleum, power, Environment, Works, Gas, Foreign Affairs, Banking, Information Technology, Aviation, National Planning, Nigerian Ports and water ways which are crucial to the success President Muhammadu Buhari’s Change Agenda were given to PDP by speaker Yakubu Dogara.

"What is the motive behind such undemocratic move? Is it to derail the Change Agenda of the President Buhari to ease their ungodly marriage with the PDP ahead of 2019?".

The group called on the party to call Hon. Dogara to reverse those positions and let the party get what is due to them.

Sarkin- Ada spoke at a briefing attended by other members of the House representing various constituencies in the country under the umbrella of APC to express their grievances.

The press conference was to be chaired by Hon Femi Gbajiamiala who was absent from the sitting.

His absence prompted Hon Sarkin-Ada to preside over the affair.

Stressing why they boycotted the activities in the House Sarkin-Ada said ,"it is on record that Hon Yakubu Dogara has consistently taken the APC for granted on past occasions.

He showed contempt for APC ‘s national leadership by spearheading a boycott when the former attempted to offer guidelines to House members before the election that threw him up as speaker, with slim majority".

“Upon his emergence as speaker, Hon. Dogara insisted on foisting his misguided and arrogant imposition of so called Federal Character in the body of Principal Officers of the House, so as to frustrate the early stabilization plan of the House as proposed by our party. Since climbing to the seat, Dogara has refused to belong properly to the APC House caucus, frustrating meetings, and instead romancing openly with PDP legislators, including holding clandestine meetings to plot the downfall of our party" he added.

He said further that "in furtherance of this treachery, he has severally frustrated efforts by patriotic members who wanted to table salutary motions aimed at commending and encouraging Mr president’s anti corruption measures so far taken.

In the same vein, the speaker has continued to suppress critical and dissenting voices from contribution in debates at plenary sessions, while shamelessly promoting the dominance of activities of the House by hostile opposition elements.

He also noted that,”instead of promoting unity in the house, he is recklessly pursuing the path of division along ethnic and faith lines. In pursuit of his tyrannical agenda, the Speaker has caused a motley crowd of his co – conspirators to amend the House Rules, to enable him suspend members at will and generally apply punitive measures to kill the well known vibrancy that has historically characterized the House of Representatives".