The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has berated the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for turning the issue of National Assembly leadership to party politicc, adding that it would ‘teach’ the APC a lesson.
According to a source close to the party leadership, it would meet with its elected members after the conclusion of the Rivers State election later in the week, in a bid to give direction to how members of the party would vote on the floor of the Senate and the House of Representatives on June 9.
It was gathered that the meeting will also appraise the conduct of the 2019 general elections.
“We know when to strike when the time comes. Let them be talking as if the assembly is the national secretariat of their party,” a PDP source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.
Confirming the meeting, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, noted that the national leadership would meet soon to discuss the interest of the party concerning the ninth National Assembly.
He said, “We will meet soon. We are going to teach the APC the rudiments of democracy. The leaders of the APC should know that electing the leadership of the National Assembly will not be done at its national secretariat, on the pages of newspapers or inside the Presidential Villa.
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“They should know that all senators and members of the House of Representatives are entitled to nominate as many people as they deem fit for any position.
“The leaders of the APC who are busy giving out orders will neither vote nor even make nominations. Politics is by lobby. Those who are giving orders should know that playing national politics is far more complex than state politics, which some of them are used to.
“Those who regard their words as lords in their states will soon know that their voices are mere noises when it comes to national politics. While we allow them to be roaring like lions in their states and to their members, we are out there talking to people with decency. So, wait and see what will happen.
“It is unfortunate that the APC is in power. The party is in power, but does not know how to use it. Democracy is not by muzzling the voices of others, but by listening to them and carrying them along.
“A national party is different from a regional party. Those who do not know will soon know.”
Ologbondiyan also confirmed that the party would meet with its elected officials after the Rivers State election.
He added, “There is no way we will celebrate before the end of the elections. We still have the elections of Rivers State, which we hope will be over, latest by Friday.
“After those elections, we will meet with our lawmakers and together, we will decide on which path to follow concerning the National Assembly election.”