TheCable

Parliamentary Democrats Group (PDG), a group in the house of representatives, says the “desperate” attempts by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to ensure that Yakubu Dogara, the speaker, does not defect from the party is a waste of time.

Timothy Golu, lawmaker from Plateau and spokesman of the group, said this in a statement on Sunday.

Golu said the APC should desist from “surreptitious” attempts to prevent Dogara from defecting from the ruling party to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“Desperate attempts by the APC to ensure that the speaker does not defect to another party is a futile one and a sheer waste of time,” the statement read.

“It is laughable that the APC is running cap in hand begging the speaker to remain in a party that has for so long failed to acknowledge his relevance and contribution to its existence.

“Nemesis has now caught up with the party as the speaker and other men of conscience have decided to pitch their tents with a party (PDP) that recognises that the collective gain of Nigerians is greater than a few primordial interests.

“The Rt. Hon Yakubu Dogara will defect to any party he chooses without fear of impeachment from his position as the speaker of the house of representatives.

“Hon. Dogara was not elected by the All Progressives Congress to be the speaker of the House of Representatives and as such, the party cannot take it away from him.

“It is common knowledge that the APC worked against his emergence but other members who saw and recognised his nationalistic spirit voted for him. In any case, he is the speaker of the house of representatives and not of the APC.”

The PDP lawmakers said if the APC loves the speaker, it would not have humiliated him during the party’s congresses in May.

“If the APC loved Dogara so much and wanted him to remain in its fold, why did they humiliate him during the their ward congresses where the speaker and all his associates were schemed out and humiliated even though he is the highest political office holder from the north east and number four citizen in the country,” they said.

“The APC under the leadership of comrade Adams Oshiomhole is a party of pretenders and hypocrites who think they are demigods that all must serve and pay obeisance to whether they do right or wrong.

“Nigerians are now wiser and have fully discovered their gimmicks and games and will no longer be deceived as we approach the  2019 general election. Already, the PDP is the majority in the house and we expect more members from the APC.”

He said they have over 240 members of the house who are “solidly behind Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara and will ensure that remains as speaker even after his defection to any party.”