The Labour Party (LP) says it plans to vote en bloc in the election of the Speaker of the 10th assembly of the House of Representatives. Rep. Victor Ogene, the LP leader in the House said this when he spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.
When NAN asked who the LP members-elect were rooting for among the array of contestants for Speaker’s position in the ruling APC, Ogene said the LP had yet to decide on a particular aspirant, saying however, that once a decision was made on that, it would be a bloc vote.
“The LP has yet to decide on a particular candidate, but I can assure you that we are going to vote en bloc, the consultation is on. I do not know those we will vote for yet, but I know those we will not vote for,” he said.
Ogene said that at the end of the day, one candidate would emerge, and it was going to be from the ruling APC. ‘’I just want to tell you that we will not be railroaded in choosing anybody; it will be a conscious decision,’’ he said.
He said the LP members would be opposed to any undue interference or influence in choosing the Speaker, adding that they would go for a speaker that would be accountable to all members of the 10th national assembly.
“A Speaker is first and foremost a member, so the LP will do all within its power to ensure it unites behind a candidate who would not kowtow to the whims and caprices of the executive. If someone is imposed from outside it does not go well. He has lost his legitimacy from members, so he will always rush back to where he got his endorsement.”
He said if members were allowed to choose freely, there would be a free atmosphere to operate, adding that such a speaker would be accountable to members who elected him and the citizenry.
Asked what the LP would do if the main opposition party, the PDP decided to go with the ruling party, Ogene said the LP would stick to its position of not letting Nigerians down and unite behind a candidate.
“People who got elected on the platform of LP did not just get elected, they got elected on a wave and a movement of the Nigerian people and they cannot afford to let the people down. Nigerians are watching. Yes, it is election of presiding officers of the House of Representatives where we belong to, but it also concerns everybody. “So, for LP, if the other parties are cool jumping in bed with the governing party, I can assure you that the LP will not do that. Even if it means standing alone, we will be ready to make that statement,” he stressed.
