23rd July, 2015
Eromosele Ebhomele
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, caucus of the Lagos State House of Assembly recently named Hakeem Bello representing Amuwo Odofin Constituency 2 as the House Minority Leader.
The PDP has eight members in the House, first time the party would have such figure since 1999.
Speaking with P.M. NEWS, the lawmaker who commended his colleagues for being mature and acting same since the House was inaugurated, said he emerged after an election was conducted for contending members for the position.
“Our party conducted an election for us and I won,” he told P.M. NEWS just as he maintained that the election was peaceful and everyone agreed to its outcome.
Bello said with his emergence, he would strengthen the PDP membership and presence in the House and ensure that the voice of his colleagues are heard.
He also promised that, irrespective of party, his colleagues would do their best to add to the development and progress of Lagos State
Explaining the reason the PDP got such a huge number in the House this time, he said party and its members worked as a team unlike what obtained in the past.
“In the past, we used to go our separate ways after the primaries. But, this time around, everybody came together to work for the interest of the party.
“We used to wait till the last days of the elections to resolve our differences. What we see today is the benefit of working as a team,” he said.
He described the eight lawmakers on the platform of the PDP as ambassadors of the party now.
“We have to encourage our members to remain calm, united and work hard so that by 2019, we might have 15 or 20 members in the House.”
He also erased speculation that he and his colleagues could be lured into the All Progressives Congress, the party which has 32 members in the House.
“I can only speak for myself. As far as I am concerned, I will remain with my party. I will definitely not defect. I want my colleagues to be resolute and stay together.