[b]A former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has said that the crisis in the National Assembly was caused by a miscalculation by the All Progressives Congress leadership.

According to him, the leadership of the party probably underrated the G-5 governors in deciding on those that should vie for top positions in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The miscalculation, he said, played out on the floor of the National Assembly during the election of the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives as well as their deputies.

He said this in an interview with reporters in Abuja on Monday.

Kwankwaso was one of five governors who defected from the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party to the APC.

The other members of the group were Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Alhaji Magatakarda Wamakko (Sokoto) and Kwara State Governor Abdulfatai Ahmed.

“The leaders of APC may have underrated the members of the G-5 governors and their potential to do good or to do bad depending on the circumstances,” the former governor said.

He also explained that apart from this, some of his colleagues (ex-governors) in the Senate felt a certain party leader had had a domineering influence on the party and had also had his own fair share of positions.

These, combined with other factors, he claimed, worked against the party’s interest during the elections in the National Assembly.

Kwankwaso also expressed disappointment that the party missed some important steps that it should have taken to avoid the loss it suffered in the National Assembly.

He said, “On the issue of what went wrong with our party with regard to the crisis during the election of the National Assembly leadership, I think so many things went wrong prominent of which has to do with time.

“The election was something that has relationship with time and we know very well that we had so many weeks to prepare ourselves for the elections in the legislative chambers.

“I wished time was really taken to ensure that we had a successful election.

“Although this is not the time to begin to trade blames, many of us had drawn the attention of our leaders to do the right thing at the right time. Sometimes, you might decide to do the right thing at the wrong time that will certainly back- fire.”

He also noted that the APC missed the opportunity of resolving the issues probably because most of the people involved were facing such challenges for the first time in their political history.

Recounting his experience on the day of the inaugural sitting of the 8th National Assembly, he said he was receiving a group of supporters from Kano when he got a call that the election for the Senate leadership had commenced.

According to him, he quickly got into his car and asked his driver to head to the National Assembly complex instead of the International Conference Centre which he had in mind.

He further explained that on getting to the Senate, he saw that elections had been concluded and that Bukola Saraki was being sworn in.

Kwankwaso confirmed that he got a text message from some party officials informing him of the meeting with Buhari at the ICC, noting that the message did not emanate directly from the President.

He expressed disappointment that the situation had polarised the party but said it was not too late to repair the damage and forge ahead.

Kwankwaso said, “I think the party is unfortunately divided but it is not too late to correct things. The party should take steps to correct things and to ensure that the crisis is quickly put behind it.”

He also disclosed that he had advised Saraki not to pursue his ambition to be Senate President but he refused.

Kwankwaso said the decision of the pro-Saraki APC Senators to reach an alliance with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party was a romance taken too far.

He said that the APC should look at the situation and come up with ways to redeem it.

Barring any last minute changes, the APC Board of Trustees and national leaders will meet in Abuja on Tuesday(today) to deliberate on the crisis plaguing the party.

However, unlike previous meetings which were normally advertised, this one was directly communicated to the national leaders and BOT members.

Our correspondent learnt in Abuja on Monday that top on the agenda was the search for truce among feuding members of the party.

The party found itself in a quagmire after the National Assembly leadership elections failed to go the way its leadership planned it.

The APC held shadow elections for aspirants for the positions of Senate President and Speaker of the House.

At the end of the exercise, the party announced Ahmed Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila as sole candidates for the positions of Senate President and Speaker respectively.

However, Saraki and Yakubu Dogara,defied the party and went ahead to contest.

Asked if the party was setting up a reconciliation committee to address the fallout of the national assembly leadership crisis, Odigie-Oyegun said, nothing was being left to chance.

“We are working on all fronts and at different layers. I am personally leading the effort,”he said in a text message to The PUNCH

Nassarawa State Governor Tanko Al-Makura had on Sunday told newsmen in Lafia, that the party leaders would meet in Abuja on Tuesday to deliberate on the challenges facing the party.

It was however learnt from the APC National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, on Monday that the leadership crisis in the National Assembly might have delayed the sending of the ministerial list to the lawmakers for screening also.

But he said the APC was working assiduously to ensure that the differences among its National Assembly members were quickly resolved in the interest of the nation.

He added, “All other things will have to wait. This is because we don’t want a situation whereby the Senate will be divided if, for instance, the President says he wants to present his list of ministerial nominees.

“So, we are trying to sort that out; it is our number one priority. We are happy that we are arriving at an amicable settlement of the situation; this one cannot wait for long. It has to be immediate .”

He, however, explained that while the party was working with Buhari to build a formidable team comprising tested politicians and technocrats, the decision to appoint ministers and presidential aides was entirely the prerogative of the President.[/b]

http://www.punchng.com/news/nassembly-crisis-apc-underrated-g-5-governors-says-kwankwaso/

Tinubu I can see you.

I dey come.

Goood

They made a mistake not to handle d alliance well...it was obvious dat they never tink of given any top position to G5 governors, and they forget dat they wouldn't have win d G5...bt d G5 governor has to take their own by force

I foresee Northern elements dumping Tinubu soon.

Either they form a new party and leave him with APC or they frustrate him out of the party.

And Tinubu wept loading...

Kwakwanso was 2nd in the APC presidential primaries not only because he is/was popular but he comes across as a man who you can take his word for it...

He repeatedly warned APC about the NASS debacle while they were dilly dallying but the leaders took their members loyalty as a sure thing and were caught napping.

He along with Fashola, Utomi & El-Rufai are the only people I can give my vote to if & when Baba says he is done.

Dey won't learn dem lessons Dey kip running to d north to scratch dem back And soon d north wil dump dem Awolowo, akintola, abiolaand now "opolo eyes" and so on kip making mistakes

Ambition or not, saraki just showed d whole nation that he shares a different view with the leadership, aims, objective, and vision of the party that gave him cover wen he wasn't on d same page with pdp during d fuel subsidy..

He is a political confusionist( permit me to use dat word) He ll damn d consequences in order to achieve his own political ambition.. PDP should also watch out

modath:

Kwakwanso was 2nd in the APC presidential primaries not only because he is/was popular but he comes across as a man who you can take his word for it...

He repeatedly warned APC about the NASS debacle while they were dilly dallying but the leaders took their members loyalty as a sure thing and were caught napping.

He along with Fashola, Utomi & El-Rufai are the only people I can give my vote to if & when Baba says he is done.

Kwankwaso is more popular than Tinubu, let Tinubu try contesting lets see how many votes he will get

chukwudi44:

Kwankwaso is more popular than Tinubu, let Tinubu try contesting lets see how many votes he will get

Wetin concern Tinubu for this talk now, seems he & PMB are always in both your dreams & nightmares. ... To answer your question..

Not every one is destined to be a king, some are kingmakers & Jagaban has proven that over & over & over again...

Even up to the ultimate of all kings,he does all these effortlessly...

He is also quite good at arranging a formidable battalion to depose kings that are serving no purposes.

kwankwasiyya

modath:


Not every one is destined to be a king, some are kingmakers & jagaban has proven that over & over & over again...

Even up to the ultimate of all kings,he does all these effortlessly...

He is also quite good at deposing kings that are serving no purposes.

Your Jagagban has been proven to be a local King maker. His latest attempt to take his local king making exploits to Abuja was met with abysmal failure and disgrace. National politics is different from your local sw amala politics

If you are referring to him as making the ultimate of kings for providing a paltry 500,000 margin of victory for PMB in six states, what would you call Kwankwaso who delivered a 1.7 m margin of victory for PMB in the same election? A mega King maker?

Hope they resolve these issues and forge ahead with governance.

I can't understand why politicians in Nigeria cannot trusted. This is the same person alleging that Saraki is likely to cause problem for PMB at the same time saying the APC underated the G-5. Fellow Nigerians these are the calibre of people we have voted into the upper chamber. It is time for us to pray for God's intervention before these guys rock the Nigerian boat.

Na them know!

Tinubu's over sabi and aristocratic attitude caused the problem of APC in the national Assembly.

You don't show the Northerners you are better in thinking than them, they will relegate you..... cuz they are ready to enter the dirt we southerners can never dream of entering.

Tinubu preached change but was keen on forcing candidate on an Independent Political Institution (NASS) the same way PDP has always done. Tinubu denied PDP anointed Mulikat Adeola and the whole of Southwest the speakership position in 2011 simply because He believed PDP should not force Mulikat on the House .... Then what happened to same Tinubu in 2015 that he wanted Lawan/Gbajabiamala on the throne at all cost

The Party National Chairman was handpicked by Tinubu
The Vice President was handpicked by Tinubu
Gbajabiamila was picked by Tinubu
Lawan was sponsored by Tinubu

and You think the Atiku/Amaechi Camp will fold their hands (A chess is different from Draft)....

If Tinubu had allowed the National Assembly to elect their leaders without explicitly supporting any senator or Honorable (he can support his preference through third party) and come out strongly just like Buhari did that he is not going to interfere in the election of Independent NASS, Lawan would emerge Senate President while Gbajabiamala would emerge speaker..... cuz Saraki won't have field day with PDP camp , PDP would revenge Jonathan and Gbajabiamala is better qualified and more popular than Dogara ..........

Dogara and Saraki all rode on the Tinubuism suffered by Tinubu's candidate to sell their market and they won.

Tinubu need to learn National Politics from Boys who have always been in the game .

Tinubuism.

[s]

chukwudi44:

Your Jagagban has been proven to be a local King maker. His latest attempt to take his local king making exploits to Abuja was met with abysmal failure and disgrace. National politics is different from your local sw amala politics

If you are referring to him as making the ultimate of kings for providing a paltry 500,000 margin of victory for PMB in six states, what would you call Kwankwaso who delivered a 1.7 m margin of victory for PMB in the same election? A mega King maker?

[/s]

But you old dumbo said Kano election was rigged and inflated? You speak with both sides of that your smelling mouth.

After1one:
[s][/s]

But you old dumbo said Kano election was rigged and inflated? You speak with both sides of that your smelling mouth.

ODE HOW ELSE DO YOU APC IDIOTS WIN ELECTION? DO YOU THINK AMBODE DEFEATED AGBAJE DURING THE LAST ELECTION? TINUBU IS JUST AN OVERATED LOCAL CHAMPION

chukwudi44:

Your Jagagban has been proven to be a local King maker. His latest attempt to take his local king making exploits to Abuja was met with abysmal failure and disgrace. National politics is different from your local sw amala politics

If you are referring to him as making the ultimate of kings for providing a paltry 500,000 margin of victory for PMB in six states, what would you call Kwankwaso who delivered a 1.7 m margin of victory for PMB in the same election? A mega King maker?

Nah, this is what many will never want to hear.