Ninth Senate: APC Picks House Of Reps Leader

The All Progressives Congress (APC) says it has adopted Al-Hassan Doguwa who represents Doguwa/Tundun Wada Federal Constituency, Kano State, as Majority Leader of House of Representatives.

The National Chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole, said this on Monday when Deputy Governor of Kano State, Nasiru Gawuna, led a delegation to pay him a courtesy visit in Abuja.

Mr Oshiomhole, who described politics as a game of numbers, said the ruling party adopted Mr Doguwa as majority leader of the House because Kano State has delivered the highest votes for the party during the last general elections.

“To whom much is given, much is expected, Kano has given us a lot as a party, has given a lot to our President and we must therefore reciprocate.

“This is a fact that nobody can wish away, it cannot be over-emphasised by those numbers because politics is a game of numbers. It is those numbers that made us win the Presidency.

“Without that numbers, we won’t be in the office. Incidentally, I reflect between the President’s vote and the first runner up, Atiku. It is about 3.8 million. If you delete Kano votes from that, the votes will come down,” the party’s chairman said.

According to him, if parts of those votes swing to the other side, so, no one can downplay the value of the support this party enjoys from the good people of the state.

“As a national party, we do have obligations to try to reflect and ensure that the six geopolitical zones are well represented. In doing so, we recognise that if we are not in power, we will not be able to talk of representation.

“So, we cannot, even in doing that, downplay the role of numbers and so, it is based on this that we are having regards to sacrifices that other people have made,” he said.

According to him, the ruling party also appreciates the leadership that Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has provided.

“Not only in terms of governing the state but also his contribution to strengthen the APC. He has handled very sensitive national assignment for the party to help it conduct elections.

“His commitment to the party is not in doubt whatsoever. This is the sentiment that formed the idea of zoning the leadership of the house to Kano,” Mr Oshiomhole said.

He commended members of the two chambers of the National Assembly for cooperating with the party to make adoption of their principal officers possible.

“I’ve been extremely excited by the level of cooperation that members of the two chambers had extended to us because it could have been impossible if they insist that they want to go and fight to finish.

“It is that mutual respect, loyalty to the party and indeed to our President that has made this very easy,” he said.

Earlier, Mr Gawuna said the visit was to thank Mr Oshiomhole and National Working Committee (NWC) of the party for adopting a candidate from North West particularly Kano State as majority leader of House.

“This is no other person than Ado Doguwa who is being elevated from Chief Whip of 8th House of Representatives to majority leader of 9th House of Representatives,” he said.

 

 

(NAN)