A member representing Rano/Bunkure/Kibiya Federal constituency, Alhassan Rurum, has faulted a plan by the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP caucus to remove Ali Madaki as the deputy minority leader of the House of Representatives.
DAILY NIGERIAN reports that 15 out of 18 members of the House of Representatives elected on the platform of the NNPP endorsed the removal of Mr Madaki, who represents Dala Federal Constituency.
In a letter dated November 22, and jointly signed by the national chairman and national secretary of NNPP, Ajuji Ahmed and Dipo Olayoku respectively, the party leadership wrote to the speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, nominating a member representing Dawakin Tofa/Tofa/Rimingado Federal Constituency, Tijjani Jobe, as Mr Madaki’s replacement.
But speaking during an interview with DAILY NIGERIAN, Mr Rurum said the NNPP caucus lacked the powers to make such a move.
He said only the majority members of the minority caucus, which has over 160 members, can remove Mr Madaki from his position.
He also said the signatories to the letter are no longer the recognised leadership of the NNPP based on a recent court judgement.
“Let me tell you, members of the NNPP alone can’t remove Hon. Ali Madaki from his position as the deputy minority leader. And even the sacked chairman and secretary don’t have such powers.
“But in their usual desperation, they wrote a letter to the leadership of the House. The letter has no effect whatsoever, and it is not binding on the House leadership to abide by it.
“We have our standing rules, which are very clear on the processes of the removal of any principal officer. They need at simple majority of members of the minority caucus to effect any changes.
“It’s only at the inauguration stage that a political party has the privilege to nominate a candidate, but after the inauguration, nothing of such can ever happen.
“We have over 160 members in the minority caucus, so they need the majority of these numbers to remove Honourable Madaki, which is practically impossible for them to get because he enjoys the support and goodwill of the minority members.
“Don’t also forget that recently a High Court sitting in Abia sacked these people parading themselves as leaders of the NNPP and handed over the party to its founder, Chief Boniface Aniebonam”, Mr Rurum added.
