Ex-Governor Oserheimen Osunbor has advised lawmakers-elect to respect the decision of their political parties while electing leaders on June 13 or risk being sanctioned by the ruling All Progressives Congress.

Mr Osunbor, a two-term legislator of the Senate, who gave the advice in a statement, said it would consolidate the party’s confidence in them to deliver on party manifestos as parliamentarians.

Mr Osunbor, a law professor, said it would be out of place for the newly elected member of the National Assembly not to respect the decision of the party that sponsored them.

“I respect party decisions because if you do not respect party decisions, then there will be problems. It is only fair that once the party has come out to say this is the position that all conscientious party members should adhere to,” the ex-governor explained.

He added, “The party has the responsibility to guide its members. That is why it is a party; we do not yet have independent candidates, at least none of the members-elect, either in the House of Reps or Senate, is independent. They were all sponsored by political parties.”

Mr Osunbor also mentioned that “having just emerged on the platform of a political party, they must not just immediately disregard directives from their political party. It is too soon, in my view, for anybody to say to his party, we are not going to listen to you.” 

The ex-senator added, “I do not think that will be very responsible behaviour.”

The former governor said the members-elect were sponsored by political parties to implement the programmes and policies of the party, stressing that “for you to now get there, the very first test you fail it, I do not think it portends well for our democracy.”

According to him, though conscience will direct the incoming lawmakers whom to vote for, the party has a duty and a responsibility to point the way to its members in the national assembly.

It could be recalled that the All Progressives Congress (APC) chose Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom (South-South) as Senate president, with Barau Jibrin of Kano (North-West) as his deputy.

The party also endorsed Abass Tajudeen (Kaduna, North-West) as a speaker and the deputy speakership to Benjamin Kalu of Abia (Abia, South-East) and directed members to vote in line with that arrangement.

Meanwhile, Labour Party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other opposition parties have yet to make public their voting arrangements.

(NAN)