Dogara: Still defying his party

There is no solution in sight to the logjam between the All Progressives Congress and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara over party members who should fill the remaining leadership positions.

In a letter to the National Chairman of his party, All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Oyegun, Dogara remains fixed in his position, by insisting that the positions of principal officers should be zoned instead of being appointed by the party.

This is a mere restatement of the position of his group, as presented to the mediation team, led by the former Speaker and now governor of Sokoto state, Aminu Waziri. The House resumes on 21 July, like the Senate, where a similar disagreement between the APC and the Senate leadership exists over positions.

The APC, among other demands, wants Femi Gbajabiamila, who had contested the speakership to become the House leader. Gbajabiamila from Surulere Federal Constituency, is from the South West.

Dogara, in a nine page letter, dated July 16, proposes that the House leader and deputy leader should come from the North West and North Central respectively, completely zoning out Gbajabiamila.

Dogara also proposes that the South-South and South-East should provide the Chief Whip and Deputy Chief Whip.

The letter was a formal acknowledgement of the 23 June letter by the APC Chairman.

Copies were sent to President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal in his capacity as the Progressive Governors’ forum mediator, Governor Rochas Okorocha, Chairman, Progressive Governors’ Forum and Chairman, Forum of APC State Chairmen.

“The proposal satisfies the provisions of Order 1 of our Rules, the Constitutional provision on Federal Character and gives all parts of Nigeria a sense of belonging. The proposal will also obviate all pending Court cases filed by some Zonal Caucuses on the matter.

“To resolve this problem, we had offered that some of the aggrieved members of our party, APC, who lost the election for the office of Presiding Officers, should produce some of the remaining Principal Officers for peace to reign.

“For emphasis, we have conceded the position of Leader of the House and Chief Whip to those aggrieved, as long as the persons should not come from the North East or South West Zones that have already produced the Speaker and Deputy Speaker,” he said, pledging that he would avail members excluded by his proposal “with other commensurate appointments or other existing opportunities for service to the nation.”

“We owe a duty to lay the truth bare as we have done in this case. The Party in conjunction with Governors, National leaders and the APC Causes in the House may agree otherwise as the saying goes, “volenti non fit injuria”.

“Our Party must not have the undistinguished honour of setting a precedent outside of the provisions of the Constitution and the Rules of the House,” he explained, urging that the proposal be considered on its merits.