Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Tuesday, explained how many members of the lower chamber failed to secure their return bids during the primaries of their respective political parties.
In his opening remarks during the plenary, Gbajabiamila said the delegate system cost members their return tickets even though they performed creditably well in their legislatives at the ninth assembly.
He said, “The past two months have been dominated by political pursuits across the country as political parties carry out various activities to nominate their candidates for the forthcoming general elections. All of us, members of the house of representatives, have not been exempt from this process,” Gbajabiamila said.
“Unfortunately, as is always the case in electoral contests, some of us who sought the nomination of our parties to return to legislature have not gotten it. Others who sought nomination to contest other positions have also fallen short in that quest.
“Honourable colleagues, it is rather unfortunate that the process went the way it went. I make bold to say here that the legislature has once again suffered losses. The loss really is not for members who lost, it is a loss to democracy, the institution and to the country. If it means anything, I know and I am aware that many of our members did not lose their primaries because they were rejected by their constituents.
“Many of our members lost because of the process, the process which we foresaw in the house of representatives. The delegate system which unfortunately is not what a delegate system is supposed to be.
“Honourable colleagues, many of our members lost because they were not even given a fair shot. We have good legislators, both here in the chambers and back home, who are probably not coming back because of this same process.
“When we fought for direct primaries in this house, we knew exactly what we were saying. It pains me very deeply that the process has gone the way it has gone. We will continue to push and continue to fight for our members, for democracy, for the institution and for this country.”
