9th NASS: Nothing For PDP – Oshiomhole Boasts
BY EDMOND ODOK, ABUJA – National Chairman of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole says never again will the party repeat the mistakes of 2015 that dragged it back in governance with the soon-to-be inaugurated 9th National Assembly
He insisted that with majority of Senators and Members-elect in the 9th National Assembly, the governing party would not allow the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to hijack its leadership or strategic committees therein.
Speaking at a dinner hosted by President Muhammadu Buhari for all the party’s Senators, Senators-elect and some APC State governors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Monday, Comrade Oshiomhole said having learnt the hard way in 2015, there should be no room for mistakes.
“We need to look inward and learn the right lesson from what happened in 2015. This time around, the strategic committees which were in the hands of opposition, we will ensure our members take charge.
“To do so, we thought it is important to sit down with you as our father (President Buhari) to discuss how the leadership of the National Assembly will emerge”, the National Chairman said.
He stated that the occasion was packaged to brainstorm on the leadership choice for the National Assembly because there should be no compromises with the opposition elements in the new dispensation.
Comrade Oshiomhole said with about 65 of the 109 Senators-elect and 223 House of Representatives members-elect out of the 360, the Party is in the strong position to make and take decisions without really slanting to the whims and caprices of the opposition PDP in the two legislative chambers.
The APC chairman also pointed out that of the 16 Senators that defected to other parties, 15 of them lost their return bids to the NASS, noting that it was Nigerians’ way of punishing them for being saboteurs.
“Only one out of 16 APC senators that decamped won election. It is the way God wants to punish them for us”, he said.
However, in a veil reference to Senator Dino Melaye who won his re-election battle in Kogi West Senatorial District, the APC Chairman said; “the one that God left was for him to entertain the House.”
According to him; “We are far ahead of the main opposition in the parliament. 223 out of 360 is a good number. We now have all the numbers required to make all the laws in the National Assembly.
“Nigerians have decided to bless us with huge majority in the National Assembly because they want a vibrant government.
He told President that; “God has given us the numbers to support your change government so that Nigerians especially the poor can benefit.
“The purpose is to congratulate you and to provide a platform for the senators-elect to interact with you.”
The National Chairman, who celebrated Senator-elect, Ifeanyi Ubah of the Young Progressive Party (YPP), for being at the dinner, described him as a smart politician for joining forces to work with the APC.
Ubah, elected as senator on February 23 on YPP platform recently announced his decision to join the APC family.
The gathering had in attendance Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha; Governors of Borno, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kebbi, Kogi, Lagos, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Yobe and Zamfara states.
For the Senators-elect, the list included all those that have already signaled their interest to vie for the Senate Presidency in the 9th National Assembly.
On the list are current Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan, former Governor of Gombe State, Senator Danjuma Goje and former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, all from North East geo-political zone of the country as well as former Governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Abdullahi Adamu from the North Central zone.
