‘APC Is Causing Serious Distraction In NASS’

Hon. Edwin Anayo is the PDP member representing Ezza North/Ishielu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. He speaks about the lingering leadership crisis in the National Assembly ahead of next week resumption. 

What should Nigerians expect as the National Assembly resume next week? Nigerians should expect a perfect start. I do not want to talk about warring factions.

I believe that there are no factions. All I know is that we have done our election and we have elected our Speaker, who is leading us. So, I am very optimistic that when we resume next Tuesday, we are going to kick start our legislative duties for the good of Nigeria and Nigerians. Even with the faction loyal to Gbajabiamila in court? Yes.

They can go to court but we should understand that the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is not a political office. It is not a secretariat either.

It is also not a place where the decision of a particular political party should be binding on everybody. It is the House of Representatives of the entire country irrespective of the political party affiliation.

APC, PDP and other political parties are there. So, I believe that APC’s internal problem should not affect our legislative duties. They should resolve their issues internally and create enabling environment for the full take off of legislative duties for which Nigerians voted us.

What if APC insists on Dogara reversing the situation? That is going to the extreme. Whoever expects him to reverse his position now does not have the interest of the nation at heart. Those canvassing for that should also consider that coming to the chamber, one’s political party becomes secondary.

Again, I believe that Dogara is the Speaker and he has the power to take certain decisions. As far as I am concerned, he has not taken any decision that could be considered illegal or at variance with the stipulations of the House Rules.

The Speaker has been doing what the Constitution requires him to do and we are giving him all the support to ensure that he succeeds.

What is your take on the appointment of House principal officers? He is constitutionally right. All Dogara has done was to apply the principle of federal character and that was commendable. I do not see any reason he should be disciplined for that.

We know he was not the candidate his party chieftains penciled for the position of the Speaker, but having emerged the Speaker even without the full support of his party members, they should leave him alone to work.

APC as a party is causing serious distraction in the National Assembly and the implication is that very soon, Nigerians will realize the mistake they made by giving their votes to APC.

My take is that in as much as he should be loyal to his party, the way the party is going about the issue of loyalty undermines the interest of the country.

They are so engrossed with leadership tussle that they tend to forget what they promised Nigerians during their campaign. Is it true that there is an attempt by the APC to marginalise the SouthEast members in the House? I am not surprised at all. I know it will take that dimension but we are not deterred.

As a PDP man and as a South East representative, if I have the opportunity of voting again, I will still vote along the same line and I know the same thing applies to my colleagues from the geo-political zone.

We have no apology for voting PDP, I have no apology for the situation the South East has found itself in the political equation of the country. As I said earlier, if I have the opportunity to vote PDP twenty times over, I will do so without apology. However, we are watching to see to what extent we would be marginalized in the scheme of things.