TINUBU MUST RESIGN NOW! HOUSE MINORITY CAUCUS FOR HOUSE OF REPS EXPLODES

[00:00:00]My people, matters arising. It's like some people in the House of Representative are waking up. So, the minority caucus of the House of Representative yesterday called on President Bola Tinubu to either refocus governance on tackling national security challenges and as well as economic hardship or step aside. Like they are telling Tinubu to, you know, resign because of insecurity as well as the economic hardship. warning that Nigeria is facing what is described as deepening insecurity, judicial controversy, and the democratic backsliding ahead of 2027 election. Let's listen to Rep. Minority Leader and hear what he said concerning this matter. Take a listen.

[00:00:46]>> that those who are not happy and believe that President Bola Tinubu has got 6 months.

[00:00:51]If he doesn't fix security, they're asking him to resign.

[00:00:55]A member of the House of Representative minority caucus who met and addressed the press in the National Assembly. And they're saying that things are really getting out of hand and they're asking the president to take decisive action or leave.

[00:01:12]But the brand new minority leader of the House of Representatives led that press conference conference on April Friday Billy and he's live for us here in our Abuja studio. Many thanks, leader, for joining us tonight.

[00:01:23]>> [snorts] >> Yeah, great pleasure to be here today.

[00:01:25]And congratulations on emerging as a the minority leader.

[00:01:30]>> Thank you. I owe my colleagues, the minority caucus, >> Yeah.

[00:01:33]>> that that loyalty and appreciation for unanimously giving me the mandate to lead them.

[00:01:40]>> But but your colleague made a a dramatic turn.

[00:01:43]It was Look, and you you you made a rule that um that tracked the likes of uh uh Emeka Ihedioha from that race.

[00:01:54]>> You know, I'm sure you are misrepresenting the facts.

[00:01:56]>> Really? Yeah.

[00:01:58]The truth of the matter is that the rule does exist.

[00:02:04]And when you're talking about principal officers, you have to be ranking.

[00:02:09]You have to have cognitive legislative experience to be appointed a principal officer. Maybe sometimes some people liking leadership to principal officers.

[00:02:20]Principal officers are different from leadership.

[00:02:24]A chairman of a committee is a member of the leadership, but he's not a member of the body of principal officers.

[00:02:31]>> Is that where the the confusion came?

[00:02:33]>> It's not a confusion. It's It's It depends on the interpretation and perception of the individual.

[00:02:38]>> If you said the rule existed, >> Yeah.

[00:02:41]>> why was the like of Emeka Ihedioha running to be minority leader? And he has been able to amass signatures from uh majority signatures from the members of the minority parties in the house.

[00:02:55]>> First, there's no crime in expressing interest to run for a position.

[00:03:00]Okay, in any democratic space.

[00:03:03]The procedures are that you express your interest. In most of the times, there are other steps that you need to take. And then steps lead to other screening. You know, at some point of screening, maybe that's where you talk about qualification or disqualification. You know, and so it was his right to say I want to be the minority leader.

[00:03:25]>> But your own view >> But at the time it was matched with existing rules, you know, and conventions of the house. You know, it happened that he could not proceed any further. And uh we thank him for having that understanding.

[00:03:38]>> So, by the rule, he was unfit to be to be the minority leader.

[00:03:43]>> what it was.

[00:03:43]>> uh um because the the thinking and the lot of the few views of some Nigerians thinking that you and your colleagues are rubber stamp to the executive, especially in the 10th National Assembly. And when you hear the minority leader, they think that there's so much more than the minority in the National Assembly could do, but it does look like you are overwhelmed by the weight of the majority.

[00:04:10]>> It is not that we are overwhelmed by the weight of majority.

[00:04:16]It is that in democracy the majority will have their way and the minority will have their say.

[00:04:23]And that goes to tell you why in last week the minority decided that they were going to elect leaders by themselves.

[00:04:35]And believing that those leaders were going to give them leadership.

[00:04:41]>> And you protested that no no announcement, no sitting on the state police bill.

[00:04:48]That's what what some of you are saying.

[00:04:50]And they were chanting, no announcement, no sitting. No announcement, no sitting.

[00:04:55]That's some kind of civil rebellion, isn't it?

[00:04:58]>> No no no no no. I think far from it. The fact remains that this was a minority caucus affair.

[00:05:06]You know. And where the minority had agreed unanimously to say these are our leaders, and then there's an impediment, you know, to expressly proclaiming the leadership. Then of course you expect a reaction. And that was just the reaction coming from members of the minority caucus. And they insisted that see, we can't go into critical issues without having a full gear of the minority desk.

[00:05:35]And that the first thing to do should be this, and then we proceed to issues of concern. So that we know that the entire gamut of the minority desk is taking decisions, you know, with the majority in the house as to what should happen, what is good for Nigerians, and then whether we are agreeable to it or not, you know. And so, that was just the agitation. It was not as to saying that people were either grieved about any particular thing or not. No, that wasn't it. The fact was that they wanted they have elected their leaders. It was minority caucus affair. That has been done, and the duty of the speaker was to so announce it. And so, he eventually did it. And that brought, you know, a seamless sitting, you know, last week Thursday.

[00:06:23]>> Do do do Does you I mean, you and your colleague, do you feel in a certain way perhaps embarrassed that Nigerians see you as a rubber stamp?

[00:06:35]>> From one assembly to the other, there are a lot of dictions being used, you know.

[00:06:40]>> But certainly this 10th assembly, you don't think that your the scenario is worse?

[00:06:44]>> Well, you know, sometimes sometimes certain actions, you know, precipitates that kind of description. Sometimes lack of understanding of the workings of the assembly also comes >> But do you think that you are doing enough in the interest of of Nigerians who think that you are not putting a mounting pressure on the executive and the majority ruling party in the country?

[00:07:08]>> Well, we are doing our best. But our best may not be good enough, and we intend to >> Is that not Is that not disappointing?

[00:07:16]>> We intend to improve our >> that you have failed some Nigerians who think that they hoped and they wished for the best, but you are not giving them the best?

[00:07:23]>> You will remember that sometimes they go in this democracy, one of our elders said, "If his son failed, they should allow him to repeat."

[00:07:32]If you remember that narrative, uh-huh, he wanted a second time. And everybody said, "No, he failed. He failed in the first." He said, "Okay. Any student, any child who fails exam is allowed to repeat. So, let him I repeat the second term and see whether he will pass or not.

[00:07:47]>> Is that what the minority is saying?

[00:07:48]>> He know, he know.

[00:07:50]>> you want to repeat the second term.

[00:07:51]>> [laughter] >> So, no.

[00:07:54]>> no. Where where >> But do you are you even acknowledging the failure to Nigerian people? No, no, no. We are not who have imposed that confidence on the minority to say give us a voice against the preponderance or the overwhelming voice of the majority in the house or in the National Assembly. And a few maybe you have failed them.

[00:08:12]>> Sherwin, did you see what happened last Thursday in the house?

[00:08:17]About the minority nomination of our leadership.

[00:08:20]It was to give you know, effect to that proposition that we need a voice as a minority for Nigerians.

[00:08:32]And I'm sure that's why you invited me here.

[00:08:34]>> Absolutely. Let's get into part of what you said to them. You [snorts] have asked President Bola Tinubu to act or resign. That's an audacious statement. Your caucus has told the president to lead or leave.

[00:08:48]That's arguably one of the strongest political statement made against a sitting president in several years in this country. Are you effectively declaring that the president has failed in his constitutional duty under section 14 2 B of the constitution which says that the security and welfare of the people should >> When Mr. President, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu said from Lagos that Goodluck should resign.

[00:09:27]What did you say to him?

[00:09:31]That is the duty and the beauty of democracy.

[00:09:36]The beauty of it is that if you are not able to give leadership to your nation, if your government fails, then those both those in minority, those who are free citizens of the nation have a right to say you either perform or you quit.

[00:09:56]Let me remind you in the eighth assembly in which I was a member, right in the floor of the House of Representatives, I rose and in my contribution to a particular motion, I did say that President Muhammadu Buhari's government has failed.

[00:10:16]I went further to say that Nigerians' life is equal to 1 minute silence.

[00:10:25]That is life of a Nigerian equal 1 minute silence. So, where are we? What are we What did we say today?

[00:10:33]You either give leadership or you quit.

[00:10:36]That is the truth of the matter.

[00:10:37]>> But they said they are doing their best.

[00:10:39]>> Is the best good enough?

[00:10:42]The best is not good enough. Take for example.

[00:10:45]>> So, you're asking him to to to resign, right?

[00:10:47]>> for Yes, if if since he's unable, he should quit. Take for example.

[00:10:51]>> Have you ever seen that happen?

[00:10:52]>> Take for example, Mr. President went to Jos.

[00:10:54]>> Mhm.

[00:10:56]>> He went to Jos to sympathize with people of Plateau State who suffered insecurity uh attack.

[00:11:10]What did President say? He said the Jos Airport has no light.

[00:11:15]So, in the next 10 minutes, he was going to leave.

[00:11:19]He didn't even go to see the people. He met the people at Jos Airport.

[00:11:25]Let me ask you.

[00:11:26]>> there was no light on the tarmac.

[00:11:27]>> Beautiful. Are you ready to lead your people?

[00:11:31]Let me tell you.

[00:11:32]>> So, is it >> How many children are in captivity in Oyo state?

[00:11:35]The president was in Lagos.

[00:11:37]>> So, this is an entitlement >> was in Lagos.

[00:11:40]Did he go to Ibadan?

[00:11:42]>> He sent his NSA.

[00:11:43]>> Interesting.

[00:11:45]>> So, you wish >> An American president An American president will stand at the airport to receive one soldier that was slain in war front.

[00:11:55]So, what are we talking about?

[00:11:57]If you are no longer ready for the job, you are already a president.

[00:12:01]>> So, say you're already a president.

[00:12:03]>> So, it is a life no matriculation. It's a life position. So, go back home.

[00:12:07]>> Are you saying that President Tinubu has failed? Is that your statement now?

[00:12:10]>> His government and the president has failed. That is why we gave him 6 months.

[00:12:15]>> ultimatum >> Yes, if he does not in 6 months, well, of course, we will apply all the legislative uh >> But, it could be election time around the >> It does not matter.

[00:12:25]IT DOESN'T MATTER.

[00:12:26]OKAY. THAT'S WHY HE abandoned the administration and we are completely into politicking. This government started politicking from the day one that he was sworn in as president.

[00:12:36]>> look look at this.

[00:12:38]Since [clears throat] your caucus citing the killings, kidnappings, death of retired Major General Rabiu Abubakar in captivity as evidence of a failing security architecture, but this government and its officials are arguing that troops have eliminated hundreds of terrorists and bandits in the past year. And the last few days, a few rescues have been made. Is your criticism based on fact on the ground or public perception driven by highly publicized attacks?

[00:13:10]>> What is the balance of your analysis?

[00:13:13]>> I'm asking the question.

[00:13:14]>> Yes, the balance of analysis that is worsening.

[00:13:17]>> You don't think that anything has changed in the last few days?

[00:13:21]>> This is >> That's the argument of this government.

[00:13:22]>> This is the >> That they are working hard. They are changing things. They are chasing after the bandits. The terrorists are they're chasing them down, they are killing them, they are prosecuting them. You don't think that is enough action or reaction to the situation on ground.

[00:13:35]>> Do you know Do you know how many of our security men that have been killed?

[00:13:39]Can you imagine the level of funding for these people to really do their work?

[00:13:45]Do you know how many people people are losing? In my own family, I've lost a lot of soldiers.

[00:13:50]Do you know that?

[00:13:52]And how much is their salary?

[00:13:54]You know, what are we talking about? You see, and instead of funding security, you are funding the new hope projects.

[00:14:02]That's what is going on this country.

[00:14:04]The new hope projects. Which are those renew hope projects? We are talking about insecurity that is bedeviling the country. Do you know how much it takes to train the general?

[00:14:14]We have lost three generals.

[00:14:18]Have you heard it in anywhere in this world that a nation will lose three generals and nothing happens?

[00:14:26]And it is as if nothing has gone wrong.

[00:14:28]Is that how a government is supposed to run?

[00:14:31]And so, a serious government, and like we said, see, take security as a priority.

[00:14:38]You There is no way you can say those children in a bedroom and elsewhere are being captivity for weeks, for months, and then we are busy donating vehicles to people, we are busy adopting people, we are busy dancing renew hope and the city boys and city villages.

[00:14:57]>> That's a scandal as far as you're concerned.

[00:15:00]>> Of course, it shows that it shows that it shows that Nigerians are not at the center of the administration.

[00:15:06]>> Let let let me I mean, you uh you uh you you sort of indict this government of insensitivity.

[00:15:14]You are implying that this government has la- lacks focus because you are saying that the president is focusing on 2027 political calculations rather than governance.

[00:15:24]>> Is that really so?

[00:15:25]>> That's your inference.

[00:15:26]>> Is that really so?

[00:15:27]>> And there are those who will say, "Well, is not part of governance that he's he's he's doing." But if if you are making because Jonathan at some point was being called clueless.

[00:15:40]>> So, what will you What will you call this?

[00:15:43]>> What would you It's you I might should be asking. How would you describe this government?

[00:15:47]>> This is much more than being clueless.

[00:15:49]>> This government?

[00:15:50]>> Oh, yeah. Take for example.

[00:15:51]>> Does this government look like he doesn't know what he's doing?

[00:15:53]>> No. No. Take for example. Can you tell the world how many places the president has gone to in the height of insecurity by himself?

[00:16:04]>> He went to Benue.

[00:16:06]>> Benue at what time?

[00:16:07]>> At what time? Plateau at the airport?

[00:16:10]They didn't attack people at the airport.

[00:16:13]People didn't die at the airport.

[00:16:15]>> So, what you imagine is that the president as the commander-in-chief should have gone. And there are those who said, "When he went to Benue, he should have gone to Yewa town right at the ground zero. And when he went to Plateau, he should have gone to the Jos community in where those are Is that what he wanted?

[00:16:33]>> that is the truth of the matter.

[00:16:34]>> But he said he had sent people there. He had sent his his his lieutenants to to go on the ground. But you don't think that is enough.

[00:16:41]>> Those people were not elected by Nigerians. Nigerians elected him to lead them.

[00:16:46]>> So, you are asking more for President Jonathan.

[00:16:48]>> that's what we are saying, nothing more.

[00:16:50]And that if he can't deliver more, then he should quit.

[00:16:53]It's as simple as ABC.

[00:16:55]It's not the first time that people have said so. He himself has said so to other presidents.

[00:17:00]>> But do you think he would do that?

[00:17:02]>> Well, if he doesn't, you know, there are other legitimate, legal, legislative avenues that can be deployed.

[00:17:12]>> Oh, so you and your colleagues are ready to take those steps, legislative actions against the president.

[00:17:17]>> Well, when we get to that bridge >> That that in fact impeachment.

[00:17:21]>> It depends on what you are saying here.

[00:17:23]>> Constitutionally speaking when you talk about >> Allow us to do our work as opposition lawmakers.

[00:17:29]>> So if it comes to impeachment you will move against the president. Is it not legitimate?

[00:17:33]>> Is it not provided for in the constitution? Assuming that the parliament says we are moving an impeachment motion. Is it not provided for in the constitution?

[00:17:43]>> This could mean that when you move up for impeachment against a certain president you could be in finding that there's a total collapse of failure of that government.

[00:17:53]>> where we are.

[00:17:54]>> Things are bad.

[00:17:56]>> That is where we are. That's why you can't go to acquire.

[00:18:00]That's where we are. What are you talking about? We are talking about Nigerians suffering, being killed, being slaughtered.

[00:18:07]Life makes no meaning.

[00:18:10]And who are these people?

[00:18:12]Sometimes government say we don't know them. Sometimes they say they are foreigners. Sometimes they say they are terrorists. Sometimes they say all kinds of things.

[00:18:20]So we can't even designate them in a way that we can get focus to deal with it. But what about the the state police move of this government? Good move. Most of us over the years have been agitated for for it. Several bills about state police you know have been proposed and it is coming now.

[00:18:40]>> Because government officials will tell you that is one of the step they are taking to be able to arrest the insecurity in the country.

[00:18:46]>> Let me tell you.

[00:18:48]I am also an official of government. So when you say government officials these bills has come time without number in several assemblies. Individual private bills. So to some of us who have been in the legislative institution for some time is not new. It is because the at present administration has no choice and that is why you know they feel that let's try this. What if this is something the legislation time without number have tried to bring on board that it will be it will it will deal more decisively with this insecurity situation when we have state >> What else do you think this government could do in the next 6 months?

[00:19:27]>> Let me tell you what this government should do.

[00:19:30]And we said so.

[00:19:32]Forget about this your uh what do they call it? Renew hope and all that adoptions and their works.

[00:19:41]And concentrate first on insecurity.

[00:19:45]Nigerians have to be saved before you talk about 2027 elections.

[00:19:49]They have to be saved. So, concentrate Yes, all those all those money all those money all those Let me tell you Yes, don't take Let me tell you all those money diverted to buying vehicles that they are sharing to people. All those money diverted to funding the new hope projects that nobody knows that are not budgeted for.

[00:20:13]All those money that are they are doing for adoption and all that. Put them into security.

[00:20:19]Train Nigeria police. Train them, equip them. No matter how much Nigeria police needs for training and equipment, provide the money and train them and empower them so that they can take charge of internal security.

[00:20:33]>> Honorable, we need to go now. My final question will be you are a huge supporter of Goodluck Jonathan.

[00:20:40]He's your clansman. And you are thinking and the last time you said that he would do a better job than the government of the day.

[00:20:47]>> Frankly speaking >> But but sadly, the group that is the Turaki group seems to have been arm-twisted.

[00:20:54]The capacity to be neutralized by the legal and the political uh uh process >> That's what we said today.

[00:21:06]That the judiciary and the person of merit in happening political This have never happened before.

[00:21:15]Never in the history of Nigeria.

[00:21:18]Political parties were left to do their own thing.

[00:21:22]This government believes that they are going to stifle political parties. They will shrink the political space, but it will not happen.

[00:21:30]So, whether you sit here to say to like yourself action is not recognized, the imposters, the APC people >> Who are the imposters?

[00:21:39]The yes and the yes and we can side of the divide.

[00:21:43]Uh Wike is your is your is your leader in your party now.

[00:21:47]>> I don't I don't know. I don't >> He's your He's your national leader. The national leader of the PDP.

[00:21:51]>> You are the one saying it.

[00:21:53]>> Is he not your leader?

[00:21:54]>> I don't know when last I met with him in PDP affairs. So, he may be you are the one who says he's a leader. I don't I don't I don't I don't think I can show you to you again. Mhm. This is PDP.

[00:22:08]>> But, is Wike not your national leader?

[00:22:10]>> I don't know about that. I've never called him national leader. He has never been my national leader.

[00:22:15]>> So, Wike is not your national leader?

[00:22:17]>> I don't know when he was appointed.

[00:22:19]Where he was appointed.

[00:22:20]>> Will Will Jonathan be on the ballot in 2027?

[00:22:24]>> If you ask PDP, they will tell you.

[00:22:26]PDP PDP PDP gave him waiver as a former president.

[00:22:31]>> Why are you forcing the man? The man has not even come out.

[00:22:34]>> Why don't you allow him to speak for himself?

[00:22:36]>> Has he come out?

[00:22:37]>> Why are you speaking for him?

[00:22:38]>> I'm asking. Has he come out?

[00:22:39]>> No, because you are speaking for him.

[00:22:41]>> It just looks like you are forcing him.

[00:22:42]>> No. No. No. No. No. No.

[00:22:43]>> Can you force the party?

[00:22:45]>> said this is our candidate, so why are you speaking for PDP and speaking for Jonathan?

[00:22:48]>> But, we've not heard him Can Can Can a man want to run for president or you want to carry his letter and run for the the >> Listen. If you want to sponsor him, you can do so. But, let me tell you. PDP said we are going to do something unusual in this nation. We are going to present to Nigerians a big bang.

[00:23:07]>> So, wait for it.

[00:23:08]>> And that big bang is And don't And don't And don't try to Don't try to sniff it out of me.

[00:23:15]You will see it happen. And that will be the end of the 2027 election.

[00:23:19]>> Mhm. Not Not Senator Sunday Onor.

[00:23:22]>> I don't know him.

[00:23:23]>> Is he presidential candidate?

[00:23:25]>> Maybe of APC.

[00:23:26]>> Of uh >> Of APC.

[00:23:27]>> Of the Wike >> No, of APC.

[00:23:29]>> Is he of APC? You have disowned uh PDP Wike >> No, is he of APC? Is he presidential candidate of APC or what?

[00:23:36]>> Okay.

[00:23:37]It seems that you have more problems in your party than even the nation of Nigeria.

[00:23:41]>> until we get there.

[00:23:42]>> All right.

[00:23:43]Honorable Fred Agbedi is a brand new minority leader in the House of Representatives. Many thanks for coming, and I wish you and your side of the PDP the very best in the year.

[00:23:54]>> the PDP. It's not about my side. That's the PDP.

[00:23:57]>> The Maybe the court >> by the judiciary.

[00:23:59]>> But >> The appeal courts They have all said that >> Before you go, go and pay homage to your national leader, Governor Siminalayi Wike. But that's our program.

[00:24:08]>> So, my people, that is it. I hope you guys heard everything they discussed here. It's quite unfortunate that uh we have government, but it seemed that we don't have government in Nigeria, honestly. In as much as like we want Tinubu like today, tomorrow, out from that Aso Rock, like I think Nigerians have to do everything possible to vote Tinubu out in 2027. Because if Tinubu resigns now, my people, who is going to take over? That is the question we're supposed to ask ourselves. We, you know, applaud like the step the minority caucus in the House of Representatives took. At least let them keep speaking up because without check and balance in the House of Representatives as well as the Senate, like this Tinubu government, they would do whatever they want to do, right? So, the best thing Nigerians need to do is to make sure that Tunubu will never, as never come back after 2027 election because Tunubu do not even care about Nigerians. Like I don't even know whether we have like a government in Nigeria because the thing is really, really getting out of hand. My people, as I make I bring this update to you guys, I don't know what you think.

[00:25:14]Please do well to leave your thoughts in the comment section. Subscribe if you haven't, share the video, give it a like, and I will see you guys in my next update. Goodbye for now.

[00:25:23]>> Politics [music] and Mercy News TV.

[00:25:26]Hey, all of it to sleep men and >> [music] >> politics update.