Udora Orizu in Abuja
A pressure group, Defenders of Constitutional Democracy (CDC) has again appealed to the G-7 aspirants and minority caucus under the umbrella of Greater Minority to jettison the idea of presenting consensus candidates for Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively.
The CDC instead urged the aggrieved Aspirants and the Minority Group to support the choice of Hon. Tajudeen Abass and Hon. Benjamin Kalu for Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively.
The National convener of CDC, Alhaji Aliyu Abdullahi and the Director, Contact and Mobilisation, Dr. Chukwuma Okoro made the plea in a statement made available to news men in Abuja on Sunday.
The Group also commended the Minority Parties Forum led by Hon. Iduma Igariwey for adopting the APC’s preferred candidates and offering to support them to emerge as presiding officers.
The Group advised the aggrieved Aspirants including Deputy Speaker Ahmed Idris Wase, Hon. Muktar Betara, Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, Hon. Sada Soli, Hon. Aminu Sani Jaji and Hon. Miriam Onuoha “to respect the party’s position and avoid unnecessary confrontation”
The statement reads : “as democrats and patriotic Nigerians who are interested in the unity and peace of this nation, we appeal to the G-7 and the Greater Minority to sheathe their swords and accept the endorsement of Hon. Tajudeen Abass and Hon. Benjamin Kalu as the speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively as an act of God. The APC’s National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu has promised that the party will review the zoning and make necessary concessions where possible. So, there is no need insisting on disobeying the party.
“At least, the G-7 have been able to voice out their discomfort with the zoning arrangement and endorsement of Rt. Hon. Abbas and Rt. Hon. Kalu. But should we set the House on fire because we are not comfortable with a particular decision? If we don’t win today, we can win tomorrow. So, let us join hands with the party and work for the emergence of Abbas and Kalu in order to have a legislature that can collaborate with the executive to give Nigerians the best”.
While advising the lawmakers, CDC said “to our comrades in the Greater Minority, we appeal to them not to sponsor a consensus candidate to counter the APC’s choice of Abbas and Kalu. Politics is not only about fight and opposition bit it is also about collaboration and alliances. Therefore, the collaboration, which the APC is seeking this time is to advance the cause of our democracy and improve the lot of Nigerians. We urge you to toe the line of the Monority Parties Forum, support the winning ticket and together, w e will all be happy for it”.
