A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Hon Alhassan Ado-Doguwa has dismissed claim of planned defection of some members of the House of Representatives to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Doguwa, who is the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, maintained no member of the ruling APC was nursing such vain ambition.
The lawmaker, in a statement personally signed by him and made available to journalists, faulted the minority leader, Hon Ndidu Elumelu’s claim on the matter.
He argued that “It is a fact that there was an executive session of the House, which was indeed convened by the leadership for the sole purpose of further discussions about the ways out of the insecurity situation in the country.
“It must be noted that members across the partisan divide were too busy and occupied with the sence of duty and obligation to our nation’s well being to have time for parochial and narrow prism thought of thinking about partisan politics and membership recruitment.
“My attention has just been drawn to a spurious and specious claim of Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, the Minority leader, House of Representatives that some imaginary members of the ruling party have met with him to discuss their desire to join the sinking opposition party.
“My immediate reaction was to ignore this delusion, but because of the consideration for unsuspecting and innocent members of our great party and constituents who we represent at the House of Representatives, we owe them this clarification.
“It, therefore, remains a curious slant that Hon Ndudi Elumelu in the heat of the current situation does not have the presence of mind to face squarely the matter that affects every Nigerian rather opting to embark on a voyage of political philandering of looking for new Members for an opposition party that is like a sinking ship beyond salvage.
“It clearly shows the kind of opposition we unfortunately have, if the minority leader will want to use the meeting of their party to announce q non-existent news of phantom members of the ruling party that wants to decamp to a party in dire straits bereft of solutions to a national, non-partisan problem, that is traceable to their abdication of responsibility when the issue should have been nipped at the bud at its infancy when the opposition party held sway.
“I wish to affirm without any doubt that the infantile claim of the minority leader that some members of the All Progressives Congress in the House of Representatives are thinking of joining the Peoples Democratic Party remain a figment of his warped imagination and that of his co-travellers on that infamous wishful thinking journey.
“I say with all emphasis that members of the All Progressives Congress are focused, too united, determined and fully committed to working with the President, Commander in Chief, President Mohammadu Buhari GCFR, and standing in one accord with all Nigerians at this time to find a lasting solution to the challenge of insecurity that does not recognise partisan tendencies.
“We believe that working together with the leadership of the House of Representatives, under the leadership of Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, who only recently in his unprecedented but pragmatic manner had pushed concrete legislative support actions to stem the tide of the insecurity challenge, ranging from appreciation and acknowledgement of our compatriots in uniform on the battle field, to fastracking appropriation, among others.
“The most recent of such interventions of Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila is the setting up of a non-partisan broad spectrum”special adhoc committee on security.”
“The committee is currently working out the modalities to hold a week long crucial security Summit, where statesmen, security chiefs, and other relevant stakeholders will converge to proffer solutions to the rather the unfortunate lingering security problems bedevelling our Country.
“Without doubts we shall be counted as an integral and veritable partner and component that worked to defeat this national challenge, and when we do, which will be soon with all reasonable hands on deck.
“This is our sacred commitment as Members of the All Progressives Congress in the 9th House of Representatives beyond the lousy tendencies of a sinking opposition party,” he added.
