Majority leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Friday, July 31, 2015 revealed that he had wanted to step down from the House Leadership tussle about 4 weeks ago, but was pressured by President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to stand his ground.Speaking further, Gbajabiamila said those supporting him were “protectors of the interest of the party”.
He said: “A lot of people don’t know this. A long time ago, I saw the president, I saw my party, I explained to them.
“I told the president listen this thing has been framed to be about me, but was never about me and that is what my members believe.
“And I told Mr. President, and I told the party that I wanted to withdraw from this thing, so for the sake of the president, for the sake of the House for the sake of the country.
“I told the governors at the meeting four weeks ago that it was not about office and that I would leave this thing in a heartbeat without thinking of it.
“I wouldn’t even think twice about it and I will go and sit on the floor of the House without even accepting anything even a chairmanship.
“I have never been a chairman of the committee in this house and never been a deputy chairman and I made it clear to them that I have turned down things in the past. I have been offered national honours and I turned it down. I was meant to be a Deputy to Aminu Tambuwal but we turned it down before Emeka Ihedioha took over and there have been many other things in the past.
“For me it was not about me; it was not about office. It’s not the office that makes you a legislator, the legislator makes the office. It’s not vice versa and I made it clear that I will leave it on principle but my members refused.
“When I told the president to allow me leave, he did not accept it, he was reluctant. My party did not accept it. And I thank God for that they did have that kind of confidence in me to be able to deliver the goods for the party. Who am I to say no?”
