NASS Resumption: APC Moves To Oust Dogara As Speaker

Agency ReporterOctober 3, 2018

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The All Progressive Congress (APC) may have concluded plans to oust the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, from his position over his defection to the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP).

The plan was made known a lawmaker of the ruling party, Peter Akpatason, representing Akoko-Edo at the lower legislative chamber.

Mr Akpatason stated this on Wednesday in Benin while addressing reporters. The lawmaker said himself and his party colleagues at the lower house were out to ensure that the wish of the party on Mr Dogara is carried on resumption of the house.

According to him, it is an aberration for a member of a minority political party to continue to be speaker of the House of Representatives.

“We, as party loyalists, will carry out any instruction we get from the party. We will study the situation when we get back. Whatever the situation is will be what we will react to,” Akpatason said.

“We cannot be happy to have a speaker that belongs to another party. It is an aberration and has to be treated as such,” he added.

The lawmaker noted that when the house reconvened, “the needful” would be done regarding the leadership of both chambers of the National Assembly, refusing to elucidate more on his comment.

While the Senate is led by Bukola Saraki, the House of Reps has Dogara as its leader. The duo formerly members of the APC recently pitched their tents with the PDP.

Several attempts to oust Mr Saraki since his emergence as Senate President have often met brick wall. The most recent is the siege laid at the National Assembly.

Efforts by the APC to get the top lawmaker to relinquish his position fell on deaf ears as he has maintained that those who elected him were the only ones with the power to remove him.

The legislative arm of government which is supposed to have resumed on September 25 shifted its resumption date to October 9, citing timetables of primary elections of political parties.