The preferred choice of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for deputy speaker of the incoming House of Representatives, Rep. Benjamin Kalu, Monday, said that the call to jettison party supremacy for other political interests was illogical.
Speaking while playing host to Coalition of Abia Stakeholders under the aegis of Advocacy for Good Governance Initiative who paid him a courtesy visit at the Campaign Secretariat of the Joint Task – 10th Assembly Coalition in Abuja, Kalu also solicited for the support of members-elect from the southeast for the joint ticket between him and Hon. Tajudeen Abbas for Speaker.
He said their nomination was based on the need for competence and maturity in understanding the objectives of the coming administration.
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He said: “I’m a man who believes that the party’s supremacy should not be jettisoned for our political interest. The party provided the vehicle for us to get to where we are, and their decision should be binding on us. That’s the only way we are going to make our party stronger, that’s the only way we are going to make people respect our party. Because our victories came through them.
“So the tripartite arrangements established by this current government is going to be sustained by the incoming administration where the party will sit with the Executive and the Legislature to come up with policy directions that will help our nation grow.
“And the House through the partnership and the support I will give to my principal, who is the Speaker, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas by God’s grace, we will be able to buy into the national objective. It’s not wearing a boxing gloves to fight the government. We should understand that this government is our government. Three arms of government with one national objective…so this is what we need if we are going to take the nation from where it is to the next level.
“When it comes to comparative analysis between me and other members from the South East, I rank the highest with 43 bills to my name. And out of those 43 bills, about 2 to 3 of them have been assented to by Mr President. In motions also I rank the highest in the nation in terms of bills amongst new members, I also rank the highest in both old and new members from the South East.
“So keep spreading this message not only to people who are within your constituency. Go outside your constituency and speak to people to speak to their representatives because we may not be able to reach all at once even though we will try our best.” He said