charged the government of All Progressives Congress (APC) to make
conscious efforts to deliver on its promises to Nigerians, adding that it
will be a disaster if it fails.
Speaking when he ıreceived the governor of Bauchi State, Barr. Mohammed
Abdullahi Abubakar in the National Assembly, the speaker noted that it was
the yearning of the people for a positive change in their lives that led
to the massive support the APC got in the last general elections.
He said, “Our people have witnessed bad leadership, especially in the
ılast eight years. It will be a disaster if we don’t save this situation.”
Dogara explained that the case of Bauchi is a typical example of a
situation where the people gave overwhelming support to the APC in all the
elections into the two arms of government because they looked forward to a
better life under the change regime.
The speaker said, “Everybody knows the passion of our people in Bauchi
State.ı They embraced us against all odds, against the sitting governor
because they feared the kind of situation in which they found themselves
under the last regime and they needed change and thank God we came with
this promise of change.
“To be candid, God has set for us, the platform through which we can
deliver this changeı. Today, 12 of our members are all of the APC, 3 of
our senators are all of the APC. We have a governor who with the whole of
his team, are all members of the APC. And thank God and thanks also to the
President of Nigeria, His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, who
really saw the kind of love the people exhibited in the course of the
campaigns, and to be candid, in his own way, he has discharged all the
burdens a father can do to his supporters or children.
He has given us more than we deserve, I can say that, in Bauchi State. I
can even list the number of appointments that we have and I am seated here
as the speaker of the House of Representatives.
Why I am saying this is, it now behoves on to pull our energies together,
to synergiseı, to ensure that these people that the president has
appointed help to ameliorate the conditions of our people.”
Urging the governor to ensure that he brings together all appointees from
the state in order to harness their resources for the progress and
development of the state, he noted that “If there is no leadership, this
will not happen, and the difference between a bush and a garden, is just
organisation. If you have a ıwonderful garden and you don’t organise it,
over time it will become a bush in itself. So that therefore means that
without leadership, we will not even come together, let alone bring our
resources and strength together to improve the conditions of our people.”
Going further, he added: “This time around, we should be careful. Nobody
has the luxury to think about himself first. It should be our people first
and what will serve the interest of our teeming people from Bauchi State
first, is our unity.”
Assuring him of support from the National Assembly in building the state,
he stressed, “We must deliver on the promise for change.”
ıEarlier, Governor M. A Abubakar, accompanied by the Bauchi State chief of
staff, ısaid they had come to identify with the Speaker for all the good
things he has been doing to stabilise the polity.
He noted that having taken over power after 16 years of rule by another
political party, the task of stabilising the polity is herculean and
requires men and women who have clarity of thought to occupy the positions
such as that occupied by the Speaker.
While assuring the Speaker of the state’s support in the herculean task of
bringing Nigeria out of the dungeons, he lauded the crop of lawmakers in
the House of Representatives, saying they will do their people proud.