APC Leaders Partly Responsible For NASS Leadership Crisis – Kwankwaso

Former Kano State governor and a prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, yesterday spoke on the crisis trailing the emergence of candidates other than those preferred by the party as Senate president and speaker of the House of Representatives, saying the party’s leadership is partly responsible for the crisis.

Senator Bukola Saraki and Hon. Yakubu Dogara last Tuesday emerged Senate president and speaker of the House of Representatives respectively, against the party’s preferred candidates, Senator Ahmad Lawan and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.

Speaking with journalists yesterday in Abuja, Kwankwaso, who currently represents Kano Central senatorial district at the National Assembly, noted that the party could have prevented the current crisis if it had taken advantage of the time lag between March 28, 2015 when it won the presidential election and last Tuesday when the National Assembly elections were held to channel a course for the lawmakers. 

“We had so many weeks after the general elections and that was the time to have taken steps on the National Assembly elections. Many of us tried to draw the attention of our leaders to do the right thing at the right time. Sometimes, you may decide to do the right thing at the wrong time and that will certainly backfire,” he said.

Kwankwaso, a former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, lamented that the party did not take the necessary action at the right time. 

“I think the party missed a crucial opportunity to resolve the issue, probably because many of those who are involved were facing this challenge for the first time in their political history. As far as I’m concerned, this is the sixth time I’ll be involved.”

Kwankwaso also expressed regret that the party’s failure to install its anointed candidates in the National Assembly had factionalised the party, but he expressed optimism that it would soon reunite aggrieved party members.

“The party is divided but it’s not too late to take steps,” he said, adding, however, that he was not aware of any reconciliation parley between the Saraki and Lawan-led groups.