PDP, APGA, LP, Accord Gang Up Against APC

A GROUP of lawmakers, under the aegis of the National Unity Group (NUG), has announced plans to block the moves by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to shut down the Executive through legislative blockade, including the delay of this year’s budget.

The group comprises members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the Labour Party (LP) and Accord (A).

It chided the APC for directing its members to block all bills from the Presidency.

Addressing reporters yesterday at the National Assembly, the NUG described the APC’s call as unpatriotic, bad and anti-progress.

It warned those in the House of Representatives to present its views instead of personal opinions.

The NUG promised that the APC would be “robustly resisted” on all fronts in the House.

Its erstwhile spokesman, Zakari Mohammed, is a member of APC, having defected from the PDP. The deputy, Victor Ogene, is a member of APGA.

Bitrus Kaze (PDP, Platueau), who read the statement in company of other members, said the multi-party group was committed to good governance, national stability an Pan-Nigerian consensus-building.

The statement said: “Any attempt to tamper with the 2014 budget and, hence, the Transformation Agenda of the Goodluck Jonathan administration, would be met with robust resistance.

“No Nigerian anywhere will stand by and watch an opposition, with mischief and power lust, to frustrate the hopes of tens of millions of Nigerians with regard to health care, schools, universities, agricultural grants and projects, foreign investment promotion, water supplies, road works, utilities and other infrastructure, including electricity, solar street lights and a dozen other necessities and obligations of Nigeria, as a responsible nation whose duties are enshrined in Chapter II of the 1999 Federal Constitution.

“If this budget is not passed soon, there will be hunger in the land and the APC plan for anarchy will have succeeded.

“We, in the NUG of the House of Representatives, wish to add our voice to those calling for peace over the tension in Rivers State, as mentioned above, and in Ogun State as well as Ekiti, where APC factions have violently engaged themselves as sitting APC governors try to foreclose challengers. We are also hoping the situation in Kwara, Borno and Kano, occasioned by APC thugs forcibly taking measures against the PDP.

“Given the wrong premise upon which they are operating, we dispute the bogus claims of majority status by APC and call on our colleagues in the opposition to always strive to advise their colleagues to obey judicial pronouncements, no matter how unpalatable to their political dreams and ambitions…”

Section 68 is clear about elected members and their parties – you don’t cross-carpet when and how you like.

“That further, we call on those purporting to act as spokesmen of the House to always endeavour to wear the toga of nonpartisanship and to always be sure what they are feeding the public are based strictly on House resolutions rather than their partisan ends.

“That we fully commend the leadership of the House for the skilful handling of a difficult set of circumstances and continue to urge them to continue to put the interests of the nation ahead at all times.

“As a multiparty platform, the National Unity Group, NUG, stands ready always to defend the Nigerian constitution as a matter of priority no matter whose interests are offended”.

On the issue of budget consideration and approval, Friday Itulah (PDP, Edo) responded saying the document would go through the normal legislative process.

“The budget would go through the Committees and then presented to the Committee of the Whole where the majority would decide its fate. It is about a simple majority and we are ready to ensure that the majority will carry the day.

“Since it is the budget, it will no longer require a simple majority, it is not an issue of two third. So, the possibility of somebody trying to block the decision of the House will not arise.

“But if they attempt we will have to show them that it is the majority that decides what happens in the House”.

When asked about the numerical strength of the group made of four Parties, Tajudeen Yusuf (PDP, Kogi) refused to give specific figure, saying PDP remains in the majority.

He also said that there was no defection and that those that felt that they have defected were only on ‘astral travel’.

He said: “The constitution is clear on cross-carpeting, you don’t cross carpet the way you want it, there are guidelines. Moreover, we only have colleagues that have expressed interest to join other Parties, so the PDP is still intact.

“Talking about the Party in the majority, even without adding members from Labour, Accord and APGA, the PDP is way above two-third. We are in clear majority, we just don’t brandish numbers.

“We are challenging APC to publish the names of its members

The PDP number, Accord, APGA and Labour in the House is way above two-third.

“There is no merger between the PDP and the other three Parties, we are just united for national development”.

Kaze, in conclusion said the commitment of the group to the Nigerian Project is irrevocable, “We accordingly invite House APC members, our colleagues – and by extension the other Parties in the House – to always strictly seek to add value to our national quest for democracy and development.

“We, therefore, call on our colleagues whose sense of duty and patriotism remains unquestioned to reject the latest APC “directives” as unpatriotic and bad anti-progressive. They must reject all efforts to destroy the Nigerian economy,” he added.