National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has reiterated that members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would not be among principal officers in both the Senate and the House of Representatives in the ninth National Assembly.
He spoke, on Tuesday night, at a dinner hosted by President Muhammadu Buhari for APC members of House of Representatives-elect to dinner at the State House Conference Center.
According to him, he has no apologies against forces of retrogression – the PDP-, saying that though both President Buhari and the leadership of the ruling party were not saying the National Assembly should be a rubber stamp, but members of the party have been asked to ensure what belongs to the party is not shared with the opposition.
READ ALSO: Police launch operation PUFF ADDER in Ebonyi
Oshiomhole said, “If you are elected, it means you are tested and trusted.
“The National Working Committee (NWC) had a meeting with Representatives-elect three weeks ago and it was very revealing.
“Their interventions were clear confirmation that Nigerians did not make mistake by elected them. Their deep knowledge of the Constitution would confuse many that they were not first-timers but seasoned lawmakers.
“They all on their own speaker after speaker, across the zone, pledged to work together for Mr. President to leave him, landmark foundation for a new Nigeria.
“I am confident that this time around they are very hungry Nigerians ready to deliver on the mandates at the campaigns.”
The party chairman described the present leadership of the National Assembly as ‘hostile’, saying they created tension in the system, delayed budget needlessly and created all obstacles to frustrate the government.
In the words of Oshiomhole, “In life mistakes are permitted but it becomes a problem if the mistake is repeated twice.
“We are determined not to repeat the mistakes of 2015 in 2019, we have learnt our lesson.
“Out of 223 APC elected members, about 67 were re-elected, the rest are new members.
“In other climes, you don’t go into coalition when you are in the majority, you do so when you don’t have the numbers.
“We have the numbers, out of 306, Nigerians elected 223 APC members because they don’t want Mr. President to face the trauma of 2015.
“Most of those who decamped were rejected and even those who led it were uprooted.
“We cannot as a party which has a comfortable majority, entrust critical committees in the hands of the PDP or opposition.
“If Nigerians wanted them, they could have voted them. In the days of PDP, every committee were chaired by PDP members.”
READ ALSO: Bayelsa gov. urges corps members to resist intimidation, inducement during guber poll
He described Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara as ‘selfish and greedy’, who were beneficiaries of from top to bottom arrangement.
Oshiomhole continued, “We do not need to do business with the devil for us to survive in the ninth Assembly.
“In African family, we sit down in a closed door to address issues, the good news is that there is a role for everyone.
“Neither Mr. President nor the party expects the National Assembly to be rubber stamp, we don’t even have rubbers…But we will not fight in Wuse market.
“Both the re-elected and new members are entitled to heading committees
“We have asked our people not to share what belongs to us with other party members.
“I don’t have apologies against forces of retrogression.”
Those in attendance were Secretary to the Government or the Federation, Boss Mustapha, Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, among others.