TheCable

Femi Gbajabiamila, majority leader of the house of representatives, on Friday said he could have become the deputy speaker of the 7th assembly if he wanted.

During an interactive session with journalists on Friday, the man who lost out in the race to lead the house of reps said he does not believe in struggling for positions.

He said but for the insistence of President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC), he would have given up the quest to be majority leader of the house.

“It was not about me; it was not about office. It’s not the office that makes you a legislator, the legislator makes the office,” he said.

“I have been offered national honours and I turned it down. I was meant to be a deputy to Aminu Tambuwal but we turned it down before Emeka Ihedioha took over and there have been many other things in the past.

“A lot of people don’t know this. A long time ago, I saw the president, I saw my party, I explained to them. I told the president this thing has been framed to be about me, but was never about me and that is what my members believe and I told the party that I wanted to withdraw from this thing, so for the sake of the president, for the sake of the house for the sake of the country.

“I told the governors at the meeting four weeks ago that it was not about office and that I would leave this thing in a heartbeat without thinking of it. I wouldn’t even think twice about it and I will go and sit on the floor of the house without even accepting anything even a chairmanship.

“When I told the president to allow me leave, he did not accept it, he was reluctant. My party did not accept it. And I thank God for that they did have that kind of confidence in me to be able to deliver the goods for the party. Who am I to say no?”

Gbajabiamila emerged leader of the house on Tuesday after weeks of crisis, which led to the factionalisation of the APC caucus in the assembly.

Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the house, defeated him by eight votes in the election, which held on June 9.