Alhassan Ado Doguwa, the former Majority Leader in the House of Representatives, recently opened up about his bid for the Speakership of the 10th National Assembly in an exclusive interview with New Telegraph.
Below is the full text of the interview:
You couldn’t secure the Speakership of the 10th National Assembly. How do you feel about it?
For a Muslim like me, the future is always in the hands of God. I don’t believe I can manipulate or control my future. I can take some steps, but regardless of the steps I take, I fervently believe that my future is in the hands of Allah. When I initially decided to run for the speakership of the 10th House of Assembly, I had my reasons.
Perhaps, I expected the party to have zoned it to my region, the North-West zone, or maybe I and my constituents believed that, given my many years on the floor of the House of Representatives, along with my legislative and cognate experience, I was well-suited to be the Speaker of the House. Of course, there’s no doubt about that.
However, when other factors arose, related to my political party’s decisions, and as someone deeply rooted in the establishment, the key stakeholders of my great party, the APC, had already made their judgment. I’ve also benefited greatly from the party. Therefore, I had no reason to oppose the party’s decision.
I had no grounds to create problems for my party. There can only be one Speaker at a given time. And, it seemed that God had ordained that I wasn’t meant to be the Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives according to my political party’s arrangements.
You seem to place a strong emphasis on party loyalty?
One important thing I always remember is that I, too, benefited from a similar arrangement. During the 8th House of Representatives, when Yakubu Dogara was the Speaker, many sought positions among the principal officers, but not all of us obtained them. It was through a similar arrangement that the APC decided that the Chief Whip of the House of Representatives should come from Kano, and specifically, Honorable Ado Doguwa.
I seized that opportunity. While serving as the Leader of the 9th House of Representatives under Femi Gbajabiamila, a similar arrangement allowed me to assume that role. The party then decided that, since the Speaker was now zoned to the South-West, the Majority Leadership of the 9th House of Representatives should go to the North-West. Within this arrangement, the party believed that the most senior Chief Whip of the 8th House Representative should assume the leadership of the House of Representatives in the 9th Assembly.
I hope you can see the pattern. As long as, in one way or another, I benefited from the same zoning arrangement by my political party.
But how do you view the entire scenario today?
Even as I sit here before you today, I continue to benefit from a similar arrangement that my party has extended to me. Therefore, I have no reason to oppose an arrangement that has given an opportunity to another gentleman from my region.
I have no reason to contest that arrangement. We cannot have two Speakers at the same time. There can only be one Speaker at a given time. And as someone who has benefited from numerous arrangements made by my party in the past and in the current 10th Assembly, I believe I must also fulfill my obligations. I have made that decision, and I will continue to be a man who supports the establishment.
If the system provides for me, I will accept it in the name of Allah. Whatever role the system assigns to me, whether it’s as a regular committee member or any other position, I will accept it with gratitude and a commitment to serve my people. After all, when my constituents elected me as their representative in the House of Representatives, their intention was not to make me a presiding officer or a principal officer.
Being a principal officer, a presiding officer, or a committee chairman are all secondary roles that come into play during the selection process or appointments within the legislative institution. So, I’m grateful to God that, most importantly, my constituents still believe in me, trust in me, and have confidence in my representation in the 10th House of Representatives.
This is more important than anything else, and I thank God for the opportunity my constituents have given me once again as a member representing Tudun Wada/Doguwa Federal Constituency under the ruling APC.
