The Peoples Democratic Party caucus in the House of Representatives on Tuesday rose from a crucial meeting with a vow to resist the imposition of Speaker on the House by
the All Progressives Congress.
The PDP caucus maintained that it would do everything legally possible to resist any imposition of Speaker on the House when the eighth National Assembly
is inaugurated early June.
The PDP caucus, while speaking through the Deputy Leader of the House, Hon. Leo Ogor (PDP-Delta), said it will oppose the imposition of a speaker on the House because the zoning of legislative positions negates Section 50(b) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
Ogor said the PDP House members are ready to resist any attempt by the APC to impose a leader on the House if such an attempt is viewed as unconstitutional and runs contrary to the principle of separation of powers, which makes the legislature independent.
His words: “The speaker is going to swear to an oath of allegiance to serve as the speaker of the Green Chamber, not to any party and he is expected to serve the entire Nigeria not his party.
“In the sixth Assembly, we made a statement when we removed the speaker and replaced her with our choice and heavens did not fall.
“In 2011, a similar scenario re-echoed when this House against all odds chose Aminu Tambuwal as the speaker because he was widely accepted by most of his colleagues.
“Tambuwal emerged because he was humble and marketable, but what is bothering us is the methodology or zoning arrangement being put in place by the party that the speaker must come from a particular zone, which is unacceptable to us.
“I’m not against the candidature of anybody.
“What I’m against is anything that negates the provisions of Section 50(b) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.”
Ogor has been re-elected for a third term.
Ogor pointed out that the APC needs to be extra careful by handling the zoning arrangement properly, stressing that the independence of the House cannot be negotiated.
Not less than seven elected members of the House have indicated their interests to take over from the current Speaker, Hon. Aminu Bello Tambuwal.
They are Rep. Abdulmunin Jibrin, Rep. Yakub Dogara, Rep. Mojeed Bello, Rep. Pally Iriase, Rep. Tahir Monguno, Rep. Ajibola Famurewa and Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila.