Mend fences with APC, ex-speakers tell Dogara

ormer speakers of the House of Representatives have urged the newly elected speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara, to mend fences with his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Dogara emerged speaker on Tuesday in a keenly contested election after polling 182 votes to defeat Femi Gbajabiamila who polled 174 votes.

Speaking during a courtesy call to the speaker yesterday, ex-speaker Umar Ghali Na’Abba said it was imperative for Dogara to reach out to the party for peace to reign.

Na’Abba who was in company of Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Patricia Etteh and Agunwa Anakwe also advised the party to see what happened as a way of ensuring legislative independence and effectiveness, saying the party should view the issue in the best interest of the country.

Na’Abba, a member of the APC Board of Trustees, stated: “Lawmakers, yesterday (Tuesday), achieved another democratic revolution against a conventional wisdom of imposition of leaders by political parties.

“This has happened not to spite our party but that the legislature under a democratic setting must be independent. What happened yesterday was an effort by lawmakers of both the APC and the PDP to ensure their independence as lawmakers.”

Responding, Dogara said he was humbled by their visit and expressed appreciation to them for finding time to come calling. “I want to say that the victory of yesterday was a miracle which couldn’t have come about without your prayers and supports,” he said.

Others on the visit were ex-deputy speakers Babangida Nguruje and Emeka Ihedioha. There were also some immediate past principal officers like Mulikat Akande-Adeola and Leo Ogor, Isiaka Mohammed Bawa, Muhammed Mukhtar, Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila among others.