Buhari expresses commitment to democratic values, wishes defectors well; They’re mercenaries, water will find its level – Oshiomhole

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed his total commitment to the values of democracy, freedom of choice and total willingness to work with all members of the National Assembly, irrespective of their political party.
Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, said Buhari was reacting to purported defection of some members of the National Assembly on Tuesday.

Buhari noted that none of the defecting federal lawmakers of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had any specific grievances against him or the APC-led government; neither did he harbour anything against any of them.
“As the saying goes, all politics is local. We understand that some of the distinguished and honourable lawmakers have issues with their home states, especially on zoning which bars some of them from seeking another term in their constituencies,” he said.
While noting that the APC had done its utmost to stop the defections, the president commended the leadership of the party for relentlessly working for its unity and ensuring success in the upcoming elections.
Buhari assured members of the APC of his total support and urged party faithful not to despair but to see the defections as a seasonal occurrence that happens on election eves.
He expressed confidence that no harm or injury would be done to the party and its aspirations by the movements.
The president therefore wished all the decamped members the best in their future undertakings.
It would be recalled that 15 senators on July 25 announced their defection from the APC to the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).
In a letter to the President of the Senate, signed by 14 senators, they indicated their intention to leave the ruling APC for the opposition PDP.
Also 37 members of the House of Representatives formerly in the fold of the APC dumped the party same date and moved to the PDP and African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The legislators in a letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, officially announced their defection during plenary on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has reiterated that he would not miss sleep for a minute over Tuesday’s defection of some members of the National Assembly from the party.

Oshiohmole said the APC was not worried with the defection which he described as “mercenary activities’’.

He said: “Well, my attitude is like I have told you before, as the National Chairman, I am committed to listening to very legitimate grievances and engaging all those who are aggrieved that we can see through their grievances.

“But I insist that I will not miss a sleep one minute over mercenary activities.

“I had said and I want to repeat, this business of governance must be driven by men and women of honour.

“If the only motivation is personal interest, what is in it for me, how many people have done xyz for, if that is the basis, the earlier those in this business of personal gains, the earlier they return to where they belong the better.

“This party that I am privileged to chair is not worried at all, we are not disturbed.

“But let me assure you, I am so happy that over time water will find its level.’’

According to Oshiomhole, the APC is a progressive party and all its members must subscribe to the values and ideals of a progressive party.

“If indeed you belong to the extreme right, and you mistakenly find yourself in a progressive party, obviously that is not where you belong.

“As soon as you realize that you can’t adjust to the requirement of progressives, which is people driven, people based, people oriented and you choose to return to the right wing where you know what the name of the game was, share the money, it is your choice,’’ he added.

On the reported siege on the houses of the Senate President and Deputy Senate President by security personnel, Oshiomhole said he was not aware of such incidents.

He said: “When you are dealing with law and order issues I am not going to stand here and make comment on the basis of your own speculations.

“I need to have the details. I am not into security apparatus, I do not understand how they operate but you also don’t want to accuse me of obstruction of justice, which a democracy requires.

“So I am going to limit myself to my brief, namely issues that affect membership and the running of the APC. Just to reassure you, I am happy.

“I have made this point long ago that with time, Nigerians will really have to be able to say, this is what this party stands for, this is what the other party stands for.

“This thing that in the morning you will have breakfast with me, in the afternoon you are having lunch with python and in the evening you are having sugarcane with some other forces, I think in the interest of our nation we need to simplify these issues before the electorate. Because, the confusion is that you have coalition of people whose ideas are not compatible.’’