Labour Party Reacts As Adamu Rejects New NASS Principal Officers

The Labour Party (LP) has reacted to the rejection of the 10th National Assembly principal officers by the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Recall that Senate President Godswill Akpabio and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, had named the principal officers of both the Red and Green Chambers.

But the APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, on Tuesday, dismissed the selection of the new leadership of the National Assembly announced by Akpabio and Abbas, describing the report as a rumour.

Speaking at a meeting with the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) led by Senator Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, Adamu said the party was not officially informed about the selection of the principal officers.

Speaking in an interview with The PUNCH, the LP National Secretary, Umar Farouk, blamed the face-off between the APC NWC and National Assembly leadership on President Bola Tinubu.

The party faulted the alleged interference of the APC in the emergence of the principal officers of the legislature, saying that it was obvious that the 10th National Assembly was not independent.

He stated, “The way I see it, the two chambers have completely mortgaged the independence of the 10th National Assembly. They were selected and not appointed.’

“However, the opposition and minority caucus would not take a back seat and watch the two chambers fall apart.”

Also speaking, the Chief Spokesman for Obi-Datti Campaign Council, Yunusa Tanko, said the friction between NASS leadership and the APC NWC shows that the legislature was truly not independent.

Tanko stated that the ruling party’s frequent interference in the decisions of the legislators would sooner or later reduce them to the status of a rubber stamp assembly.