Quote:Samuel Ogidan and Ahmed Musa



Abuja – The President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara recently defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) without announcing on the floor of the chambers.

The defections, which never attracted the attention of Nigerians, some political watchers say, were played down to avoid backlash on the floors of the chambers.

The fear of impeachment, another school of thought said was the obvious reason why the defections were not announced like other lawmakers, whose defections were announced before the National Assembly went on break in July.

Some politicians, who spoke with our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, were of the opinion that announcing the defection will not change anything on the floor of the chambers.

Others however said that announcing it would have generated so much tension to the extent that both chambers would have looked like theater of war.

Even though the parties, especially All Progressives Congress (APC) agitating for change of guards, would not have been able to muster the required number to impeach any of principal officers, but some political analysts, were of the opinion that it would have generated so much crisis.

Recall that before the unannounced defection of the two principal officers, the National Assembly was in turmoil because the ruling APC led by Adams Oshiomole, vowed that Saraki must vacate the seat.

But with all the agitations and counter agitations, the two principal officers have survived till day, less than 80 days to the 2019 general elections.

However, nothing about Dogara defection was known until the day he came to buy and submit his expression of interest and nomination forms at the PDP national secretariat.

Saraki, on the other hand, though didn’t announce it on the floor, but gave out a speech on why he left the APC.

The President of the Senate, in a statement he personally signed, explained that he defected after extensive consultations and after efforts to ensure a harmonious existence in the APC proved futile.

Saraki had said: “I wish to inform Nigerians that, after extensive consultations, I have decided to take my leave of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“This is not a decision that I have made lightly. If anything at all, I have tarried for so long and did all that was humanly possible, even in the face of great provocation, ridicule and flagrant persecution, to give an opportunity for peace, reconciliation and harmonious existence.

“Perhaps, more significantly, I am mindful of the fact that I carry on my shoulder a great responsibility for thousands of my supporters, political associates and friends, who have trusted in my leadership and have attached their political fortunes to mine.

“However, it is after an extensive consultation with all the important stakeholders that we have come to this difficult but inevitable decision to pitch our political tent elsewhere; where we could enjoy a greater sense of belonging and where the interests of the greatest number of our Nigerians would be best served.

“While I take full responsibility for this decision, I will like to emphasise that it is a decision that has been inescapably imposed on me by certain elements and forces within the APC who have ensured that the minimum conditions for peace, cooperation, inclusion and a general sense of belonging did not exist.”

Reacting to this development, while speaking with our correspondent, a Constitutional lawyer, Barrister Ralph Agama, noted that fear of impeachment, was the reason behind why the principal officers refused to announce their defections.

He said: “As to the issue of announcement, if as a member, you defect and you made it known to the leadership of the House, the intention is that once you make it known to the leadership of the House it is expected to become part of the business of the House and if the House decides to announce it, fine.

“But you know, because of the legal implication as to the issue of defection by the provision of the Constitution, which says once a candidate defects from the platform upon which he was elected into the House to another, he automatically loses his seat. So, whether or not it is even announced, the implication of the provision is there.

“Recently, some people decide to go to court for whatever reason, of course because if he does and for the fear of the fact that most of the people who defect sometimes,move to the opposition.”

He noted that some principal officers made announcement of defectors because by so doing it will enrich their party, and reduce the number of other parties.

Agama further noted that “some of those people who defected after announcement quickly go to court to ask that the Speaker or whoever is presiding should not have the power to remove them or declaring their seat vacant.

Giving more insight into why the principal officers would rather keep quiet, the constitutional lawyer said, “you know politicians, they will not want to declare their positions and it is for the fear of the fact that you know when they defected, the issue of we are going to impeach them, remove them, they have to lose their seats, they have to lose their positions, was the issue, so they just decide to go on until there’s no need for formal announcement.”

Agama further pointed out that even though the principal officers didn’t announce formally, the public is already aware of their defections, adding that the fear of impeachment if their defection is announced on the floor played a major role, why they decided to do otherwise.

Asked to give his thought on the situation, one of the APC Reps, Hon. Johnson Agbonayinma from Edo state said they careless whether the speaker announces his defection or not.

Formerly a member of the opposition PDP, Agbonayinma told this newspaper that “everything that we do boils down to the party. Today, he (Dogara) is a member of PDP; he’s taken the card of PDP and denounced his membership of APC. As a member, I decamped from PDP to APC so who am I to challenge him, that’s his fundamental constitutional right. So, I’ve no reason or motive to sit down and start thinking otherwise or challenging him”.

He added, “As a matter of fact, he’s still performing his constitutional duties as speaker and has not changed. So he’s still carrying everybody along whether you’re APC, PDP or APGA and for that, we still see him as our speaker.

“Whatever that’s happening in the National Assembly, particularly in the House of Representatives, let it remain with us. What’s important is for us to put our heads together for Nigeria to be developed, for our nation to be among the leading nations. That’s our fundamental duty now. Not bickering, not in fighting. Whether you’re APC or APGA, if a road is constructed, everybody will benefit from it. If a hospital is built, everybody will enjoy it.

“So, what I’m saying is that this should not be about APC or PDP, but what’s important is your commitment and willingness to adhere to the three principal tenets of democratic doctrines: loyalty, commitment and participation; things that will bring dividends of democracy to the people. That’s what’s important, that’s what matters in all these”, he said.

Asked why it has taken the speaker so long to formally announce his defection on the floor, as it is the tradition based on laid down rules, he said, “Maybe he’s going to do that at his own time, so you have to give him time.

“And since it’s such a matter of convention, let me said that maybe he’s half-member of the APC, half PDP. So if you want to get something out of me, I’ll say he’s half APC and half PDP, but he’s a Nigerian, a true Nigerian and he’s representing all of us.”