Steer clear of our caucus – PDP warns Gbajabiamila

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Saturday, cautioned the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, to “steer clear” of its internal affairs and concentrate on his legislative duties.

PDP issued the warning in reaction to Gbajabiamila’s reported interference in choosing a leader for its caucus in the House of Representatives.

The opposition party insisted that it reserved the right to pick its caucus leader in the House of Representatives without any due interference from the leadership of the House.

In a statement by its spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP reminded Gbajabiamila that as a party, “we reserve the right to form a parliamentary caucus as well as choose the leaders of our caucus, as it obtains in parliaments, all over the world and the House of Representatives under Gbajabiamila, as Speaker, cannot be an exception.

“The leadership of the House is aware that whereas members from minority parties decided on the Minority leadership, a party and its members have the right to form a caucus and select leaders of such caucus accordingly, without interference by the leadership of the House or members of other political parties in the legislature.

“We remind the leadership of the House that our party had directed that the affairs of the PDP caucus be organized and managed by Hon. Kingsley Chinda, Hon. Yakubu Barde, Hon. Chukwuma Onyema and Hon.Muraina Ajibola. This position has not changed.

“We recognize the caucus roles of our members, and they have the instructions for our party to do so.”

PDP called on the Speaker to respect its choice of leadership in the House of Representatives.