Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has had his wish granted after the House of Representatives on Wednesday retained Rep. Hassan Doguwa as House Majority Leader.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila announced Doguwa as House Majority Leader, returning the former occupant to the seat following the winning of the rerun election held Saturday and won by the Kano lawmaker among others.
Even before Gbajabiamila could make the announcement immediately after the swearing in of some new House of Representatives members who had just been re-elected in one rerun or due to court reinstatements, the federal lawmakers had started chanting “Leader,” “Leader,” “Leader”.
“By the unanimous contention and agreement, the APC caucus in the House has agreed to return Hon. Ado Doguwa as the Leader of the House of Representatives,” Speaker Gbajabiamila announced amidst cheers and jubilation by members at plenary.
House Chief Whip, Mohammed Monguno later moved a motion for Doguwa to resume his seat as House Leader and was seconded by Hon. Taiwo Onanuga.
Honourable Doguwa had vacated his seat and Majority Leader position in November when he was sacked by the Court of Appeal alongside other House Members representing Kano state in the chamber.
Recall that some chieftains of the Kano state chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday sought support of the party’s National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole to endorse Doguwa to retain his majority leadership position in the House.
The party’s delegation led by Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, said this when he presented Doguwa’s certificate of return to Oshiomhole in Abuja.
It would be recalled that the Court of Appeal voided the election of Rep. Doguwa representing Tudun Wada/Doguwa Federal Constituency.
The court also called for a rerun in which he scored 66,667 votes to defeat his closest rival, Alhaji Yushau Mohammed of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Ganduje said their visit was to present the certificate of return given to Doguwa by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to Oshiomhole.
He said the visit was also to seek for the party’s support as Doguwa remained an applicant for Majority Leadership position in the House of Representatives.
Responding, Oshiomhole said that the leadership of the House of Representatives did not fill the position of its majority leadership position because it held Doguwa in high esteem.
“Let me say that from the reaction of your colleagues, the Speaker was in Kano, the Deputy Leader, was also in Kano and it was not for nothing that they chose not to fill that position because like members of your constituency who elected you, they were also waiting to reelect you.
“I believe that God gave you a second chance. That the Speaker was in Kano means that he holds you in high esteem.
“They deliberately decided not to fill the vacancy and just like us, they were confident that the people of your constituency will return you to the House. I don’t think I should say more than that,” he said.
Wednesday’s inauguration was witnessed by Ganduje himself, Senator Kabiru Gaya, Senator Barau Jibrin, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, party leaders from Kano and a large number of party faithful from and outside the state.
Other members of the House sworn in included Princess Miriam Onuoha, Member representing Okigwe North federal constituency of Imo state.
Gbajabiamila commended the newly sworn in lawmakers for their courageous move in the just concluded election.