Knee injury: Nigerian Senators visit Osoba in London
A delegation of Nigerian Senators has visited former Ogun State Governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba who recently underwent a successful knee operation in United Kingdom, and affirmed to be positively responding to treatment.
Penpushing reports that, delegation which cut across political party lines and geo-political zones of Nigeria during the visit wished the renowned leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) quick recovery.
The chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Solomon Adeola said the members of the Senate were in London and decided to pay him a get well quick visit as his wealth of experience is needed as Nigeria forges ahead in difficult times.
Penpushing further reports that, Solomon added that it is gratifying to see that Osoba is fastly recovering from his surgery as evidenced in his personally coming to receive them at the door from the first floor and going back up with them to the sitting room upstairs.
The Senator representing Borno Central under the banner of All Progressives Congress (APC),Kashim Shetima speaking on behalf of his colleagues stated that they came as Nigerians devoid of any political party or regional coloration to wish him well as an elder statesman at 82 .
Penpushing also reports that, Shetima pointed out that Osoba has contributed to the nation through journalism and service in government while some of them are still growing up, stressing that the nation still needs his wealth of experience in forging ahead in these times.
“As Senators of the Federal Republic, all of us are interested in the growth and progress of our nation. We did not come here for partisan consideration but to seek wisdom from an elder statesman that had contributed positively to the growth of the nation and still willing to do more even in advanced age” he stated.
The delegation comprises of Senator Solomon Adeola (APC, Lagos West), Senator Kashim Shetima (APC, Borno Central), Senator Isah Jubril(APC, Kogi East), Senator Micheal Nnachi(PDP, Ebonyi South), Senator Ayo Akinyelure(PDP, Ondo Central), Senator Gershon Bassey(PDP, Cross River South), Senator Yusuf Abubakar Yusuf(APC, Taraba Central), Senator Sadiq Sulaiman Umar(APC, Kwara North), Senator Tokunbo Abiru(APC, Lagos East) Senator Bashiru Ajibola(APC, Osun Central) and Senator Hassan Mohamed Gusau(APC, Zamfara Central).
Penpushing further reports that, Osoba in response expressed appreciation to the visiting Nigerian Senators, assuring that he would soon be back to the country, on completion of his medications, adding that he was getting better on daily basis
The chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) , however, threw his weight behind the use of direct primary as a means of selecting candidates of all political parties as contained in the newly passed Electoral Amendment Act.
Penpushing also reports that, Osoba appealed to President Mohammadu Buhari to sign the newly passed Electoral Act, stressing that the president is a product of direct primary who submited himself to direct primary in 2019 .
“I have a feeling he will sign it. The president himself is a product of direct primary. He submitted himself to direct primary in 2019 throughout the country, heaven did not fall. After he subjected himself to direct primary throughout Nigeria in all the wards, he also subjected himself to a National Convention to ratify his election at the primary’, Osoba said.
‘And quote me, I had cause to tell him at our National Caucus during Edo election issue that “Mr. President, if you can subject yourself to direct primary and national Convention, I do not see why anybody should be afraid of direct primary”. I said this to him and we must be honest when we are talking to our leaders. That is why I believe that the President having been a product of direct primary will sign the law for direct primary”, he stated.
The former Governor stated that the 9th National Assembly has done very well for the country in supporting what they think is right for the executive and the country adding that this is the payback time for the executive to pay back the National Assembly that overwhelmingly passed the new electoral law to include direct primary.
“In the case of direct primary, we are running a presidential system of government pattern after that of the USA. It is direct primary in USA that we copied. Why are we selective? If we don’t want direct primary, then let us go back to parliamentary system like India where party caucuses select candidates’, Osoba said.
‘We cannot be selective on some aspects of the presidential system that we practice while jettisoning what is its democratic content. I am confident that the President as a product of direct primary will do the right thing. I want to commend all of you. We need to democratize. The idea of ‘we’ governors handpicking should stop. Let the people have a say. I commend the 9th National Assembly and appeal to the president in the interest of the country and democracy to sign the new electoral law” , he added.
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