Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto
The newly appointed Deputy Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Abdussamad Dasuki, has pledged that the new Minority Caucus leadership wouldd provide “principled, credible and effective” opposition anchored on good governance rather than confrontation for its own sake.
Speaking in Sokoto on Tuesday while receiving elders and stakeholders of Kebbe/Tambuwal Federal Constituency, who came to congratulate him on his emergence, Dasuki outlined the vision of the caucus and said its core mandate would be accountability, transparency, legislative scrutiny and policies that improve the lives of Nigerians.
He declared that the Minority Caucus under the new leadership would remain committed to constructive engagement with the executive while holding government accountable in the national interest at all times.
“We are committed to providing principled, credible and effective leadership for the Minority Caucus. Our primary responsibility is not opposition for its own sake, but constructive opposition that promotes good governance, accountability, transparency and laws that improve the lives of Nigerians,” he said.
Dasuki stated that the caucus would draw inspiration from the leadership style of former Minority Leader and now Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, whom he described as a model of effective opposition politics in the House between 2011 and 2015.
According to him, the minimum benchmark for the current Minority Caucus would be the standard set during Gbajabiamila’s tenure, when the opposition played a critical role in holding the government accountable while contributing meaningfully to legislative debates and national development.
“Our minimum standard as a caucus will be the exemplary minority leadership once provided by Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, who demonstrated that a vibrant and responsible opposition is essential to strengthening democracy by holding the government accountable and ensuring that the interests of the people remain paramount in parliament,” he stated.