A crack appears to be rocking the pro-Buhari Parliamentary Support Group (PSG), a pressure group of All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers in the House of Representatives, as members move to oust Femi Gbajabiamila (APC, Lagos) as House Leader, an insider source told Daily Trust on Wednesday.
According to the source, the crack emanated from divided opinions among the PSG members over the possibility of impeaching Speaker Yakubu Dogara in the aftermath of the gale of defections that hit the ruling party in both chambers of the National Assembly.
It was gathered that some members of the PSG, made up of APC lawmakers, declared war on Gbajabiamila and Sarki Adar (APC, Sokoto), whom they accused of using the group to champion their own selfish ambitions.
Trouble was said to have started over Gbajabiamila’s selective treatment of PSG members perceived to be Dogara’s loyalists, a move also said to have seriously irked a ranking APC lawmaker from one of the states in the North West.
The source said, "We are already collating signatures for Gbajabiamila’s removal as Majority Leader of the House.
"He (Gbajabiamila) has been calling nocturnal meetings and even select which APC members that will attend.
"For instance, the last meeting held at Sheraton with the APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiohmole, was poorly attended because many APC members were not invited by the House Leader.
"These include ranking members and chairmen of strategic committees which he perceived as Dogara’s loyalists. Even the Deputy Speaker, Yusuf Lasun (APC, Osun) was not invited.
"But when we got wind of the meeting, we quickly mobilised and got the Deputy Speaker to be there. Immediately Gbajabiamila saw Lasun, he was devastated and his plans failed."
"Let me tell you, what happened to Lawal Daura will surely happen to Gbajabiamila."
The source further disclosed that Gbajabiamila’s loyalty to Speaker Dogara has always been questionable, including telling lies against Dogara during the APC NEC meeting in November 2017 before President Mohammadu Buhari, for which he was rebuked by Alhassan Doguwa (APC, Kano).
To calm frayed nerves, the PSG leadership under Abdulmumin Jibrin (APC, Kano), was said to have sent a text message to its members with a threat to oust Gbajabiamila as House Leader if he continues to use the group for his selfish ambitions.
The letter read, "Honourable colleagues, I urge you to remain calm in the face of attempt to undermine our efforts by Femi Gbajabiamila and Sarki Adar.
"We remain resolute in our support for PMB and unity of the House of Representatives. In the next few days, we will decide if Femi will continue to be the House leader as there are many competent members from South West that can perform better."
“We will not allow anybody to take advantage of our caucus and his so-called support for our party and PMB to foster his personal ambition. Gbajabiamila’s style has inflicted collateral damage to the unity of our caucus. It is time to deal with it."
