“PDP Must Use Propaganda, Blackmail As Opposition” – House of Reps Speaker, Ihedioha

by Musa Abdullahi & Agency Reports

Hon. Emeka Ihedioha is the current Speaker of the House of Representatives who succeeded Hon. Aminu Tambuwal (who has resumed office as the Governor of Sokoto state) tells the Lawmakers of the both assembly to brace-up.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that Hon. Ihedioha delivered a short address to newly elected members of the National Assembly from the People’s Democratic Party during their ongoing retreat in Port-Harcourt, Rivers state.

He gave some tips which he said will be useful for them as the new opposition party in the national assembly.

“The PDP has to step up to play the role of opposition well enough. We will have to conduct ourselves in most responsible manner. Team work is important as we go forward. In the House of Reps where I have operated for 12 years, I have learnt that what the opposition does is to be very vigilant. You cannot afford the luxury of not coming to chambers,” he said.

He then added: “Whenever they are blowing the cake, you must find fault wherever it is possible. Whistleblowing is an arsenal and asset which the opposition must have at its fingertips. You cannot afford the luxury of keeping quiet. APC made noise at every opportunity. All of us must begin to work on our media friends. Shout, make noise and do not allow any opportunity to pass you by.”

He similarly advised the party generally to be on the lookout for members while performing its role as the opposition.

“Nigerians will celebrate your failure but we must rise up to the challenge. We must alert our people when things start to go wrong. For instance the situation in Ekiti is what we as the House of Representatives stood up to address. We cannot see Fayose as an enigma. We should not allow Fayose to go down before we rescue,” he said.

Concerning what the PDP will need to do to regain its place in the national polity, he said, “We must do what we must do, using propaganda and blackmail. When you don’t blackmail when you are in the opposition, you are wasting your time. Marry the media as quickly as possible and do the needful when it needs to be done.

“The true test of our character as an opposition has just begun. Our capacity to influence the emergence of principal officers will to a large extent give Nigerians the idea whether we are ready for our role. I believe that outside here, those who know how to plot, especially General David Mark, who is a professional businessman in this field, will know the right thing to do so that we can begin to plot what to do.”

Hon. Ihedioha also advised the acting chairman of the party, Chief Uche Secondus who was present to lead the party aright.

“Mr Chairman and the NWC, the party cannot afford to lead as it led in the past. We must lead our members rightly. What I learnt from the APC was that inspite of their personal differences, they always managed to present a common front on the floor of the house. When you are unable to present a common front as an opposition, you have failed.”