Why I Didn't Read APC's Letter On Principal Officers - Dogara

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara, has disclosed that he could not read the list of principal officers from All Progressives Congress (APC) because the North Central of the APC House caucus had served him a court process challenging the party list of principal officers.

Dogara said the development prevented him from reading the APC list contained in a letter addressed to him at Thursday's rowdy plenary session.


He made the disclosure when he received a forum of former members led by Hons. Dauda Bundot and Jonathan Asake who paid him a courtesy call.

About 35 APC North Central lawmakers have dragged the party to court insisting that the party's selection of principal officers violates provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), House Standing Orders and parliamentary convention.

Dogara said, "Before I saw the (APC) letter, there was a court process served to the leadership of the House. What they (North Central lawmakers) are contesting is very simple: whether it is in accordance with the constitution of Nigeria and the House rules that a political party has the right to chose the principal officers of the House. The second question is: assuming the political party has the right, whether it is in tandem with the constitution to exclude their zone (North Central), whether that meets the constitutional requirement of federal character in appointments."