- The just concluded primaries for the House of Representatives have not favoured a lot of APC lawmakers
- One of the aggrieved lawmakers, Musa Soba, said that the members are awaiting the outcome of the appeal panel they entered on the issue
- Some of the lawmakers are also contemplating to defect from the ruling party and also working against it
A lot All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives members were defeated the recent primary election are to decide on their next line of action after the outcome of the appeal they entered before the party’s appeal panel.
Findings showed that some of the aggrieved lawmakers felt they were “deliberately edged out” of the primaries to pave the way for the favoured candidates of godfathers or other interests, Punch reports.
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Speaking with newsmen on behalf of about 70 lawmakers, one of the aggrieved members, Musa Soba, said that they are awaiting the outcome of the appeal panel they entered on the issue.
Hailing from Kaduna state, Soba said immediately the matter was decided upon by the panel, the concerned lawmakers would take a decision. He state: “Let us wait first. We are waiting for the decision of the appeal panel.”
Soba was one of the aggrieved members, who met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa on Saturday, October 13, in Abuja over the outcome of the primaries. Buhari had reportedly summoned the members to a closed-door meeting to hear their complaints.
Reports have it that a number of the members had contemplated many options since the polls ended, including defection to other political parties and working against the APC during the 2019 elections.
Some members were also promised automatic tickets by the APC only for their hopes to be dashed eventually.
About 70% of lawmakers or 252 out of 360 across political parties are not likely to return in 2019 due to defeat in primaries, voluntary withdrawal and aspiration for other offices.
However, speaking with journalist, the chairman, House committee on media and public affairs, Abdulrazak Namdas, denied that the non-returning members were up to 252.
Having won his own APC ticket in Adamawa, Namdas put the percentage of non-returning members at “68 per cent. It is not up to 70 per cent. It is about 68 per cent”. He said that 245 of the members may not be returning in 2019.
Meanwhile, an official in the office of the deputy speaker of the House, Yussuff Lasun, said on Sunday, October 14, that the fact of Lasun losing out in the Osun governorship race did not mean that he would become a redundant politician in 2019.
Lasun had contested the July 20 primary of the APC and lost to Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, who also went ahead to win the main election. He was declared Governor-elect by the Independent National Electoral Commission. The Deputy Speaker polled 21,975 votes in the second position to Oyetola’s 127,017 votes.
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Lasun didn’t contest a return ticket to the House in 2019, having opted to go for the governorship. His Chief Press Secretary, Mr Wole Oladimeji, stated that Lasun’s “political future is open and he remains a member of the APC.”
In response to questions as to what his boss would be doing specifically while out of office, Oladimeji said: “His political future has not been foreclosed. He is in the APC. He may still go to the Senate or come to the House.”
Meanwhile, NAIJ.com reported that Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the APC had inaugurated a high-level legislative screening and appeals committee for the party’s 386 Senate, and 1,587 House of Representatives aspirants.
Oserheimen Osunbor, former Edo governor, Timipre Sylva, Ahmad Sani Yerima, Ken Nnamani, Sharon Ikeazor, Bukar Abba Ibrahim, and Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora are among heads of the committees which were inaugurated on Thursday, September 20, in Abuja.
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Source: Naija.ng
