The Peoples Democratic Party has dismissed some media reports that some lawmakers-elect have been pencilled down for minority leadership of the 10th National Assembly billed for inauguration on Tuesday.
This is even as the party said the reports are not a true reflection of its stand on the composition of the National Assembly leadership.
In a statement issued by its spokesman, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP reiterated its earlier plan to leverage the opposition’s numerical strength to determine who emerges what both in the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The statement read, “The attention of the Peoples Democratic Party has been drawn to rumours and reports making the rounds and purporting that certain individuals have been designated for minority leadership positions ahead of the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly slated for Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
“Such rumours and reports do not represent the true position of affairs in our party and among our National Assembly members-elect.
“For clarity, the PDP is on the same page with our lawmakers-elect in focusing, for now, on maximizing our numerical strength with other opposition parties to determine the emergence of the presiding officers of the two chambers of the National Assembly on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, and will not allow any distractions at this moment.
“The interest of the PDP is to ensure that whoever emerges as the Speaker of the House of Representatives must be a person with long-standing relevant managerial and legislative experience, leadership capacity and past legislative achievements as a member of the House of Representatives.
“At the right time, the PDP together with our members in the National Assembly will speak with one voice on any issues regarding other leadership positions in the federal legislature.
“The PDP, therefore, urged Nigerians to disregard the said rumours and reports as our party and members-elect at the moment have our eyes on the ball on the election of the presiding officers of the two chambers of the National Assembly in the general interest of the people of Nigeria.”
