House of Reps: No Tension between APC, PDP Lawmakers …Says lawmakers ready to work with Buhari

 

Contrary to widespread premonition of likely implosion between members of the two major leading political parties in the House of Representatives-the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-the lawmakers have indicated that they have resolved to work together in unity.

Making this known to Nigerians in at a media briefing on Thursday, the Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon Abdulrazak Namdas (APC), representing Jada/Ganye/Mayo Belwa/Toungo federal constituency of Adamawa State) said the lawmakers have agreed to work together irrespective of party affiliation.

“This House is very calm. The atmosphere is cool and with our leaders, we have no issues and we will also like to plead with our journalists to always report the National Assembly as always. There is no anxiety. There is no problem between us and our leaders.

“However, as a member of the APC, I will always try to protect your party, which is always good, there is nothing wrong with that as other members in other parties are expected to do the same, but on national interest, we are on the same page. We have no problem with our leaders and there is nothing we have done to demonstrate that there is a problem,” he stated.

Namdas also assured the people that members of the lower chamber of the National Assembly have agreed to give necessary support to the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government, noting that “we have also agreed that whatsoever request the president brings that deserve our attention, by the grace of God, we will do just that.

“We have agreed to work on the $2.7billion Eurobond and the budget of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).”

He, however, disagreed with the federal government over claims that the third amendment to the Electoral Act did not contain the Card Reader, emphasising that there was no time it was expunged from the Act.

He said: “We were told when we were on break that the president declined ascent to the Electoral Act; we read in newspapers that the electoral act that we transmitted to the president does not contain the Card Reader. We just want to say and for the purpose of record and as an institution that the Electoral Act we transmitted from the National Assembly contained the Card Reader.

“So I don’t know at this stage that the card reader was not involved. This is just to make a clarification because we are also politicians, and electoral act is an important act. Others can just look at us in terms of transparency and honesty in the process of our election. So, we cannot joke with that too.”

Reacting to a recent protest made by legislative aides, who alleged non-payment of some of their basic allowances, the lawmaker said rather than being confrontational, the affected aides ought to have liaised with their principals, considering that their appointments was non-pensionable and short time appointment, which come at the discretion of their principal.