Honourable Godfrey Ali Gaiya, a two-term former member of the House of Representatives and member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), explained in an interview with The Nigerian Tribune that political decisions, in his view, are largely influenced by local realities and the expectations of constituents.
He said that while he was serving in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he was appointed as a political aide to the Speaker of the House, and although there was no pressure from the Speaker to leave his party, his advisory role required him to align more closely with the Speaker’s political camp in order to effectively carry out his responsibilities.
According to him, this alignment eventually influenced his decision to join the All Progressives Congress (APC), as he felt it would help him serve more effectively without conflict between his official duties and political loyalty.
He further stated that, over time, he observed certain limitations within the APC that made it difficult for him to fully pursue his political ambitions, despite maintaining loyalty to his principal.
He explained that after weighing both his loyalty and personal political aspirations, he decided it was necessary to continue his political journey elsewhere. He added that the Speaker understood his decision, describing it as one taken without difficulty.
Gaiya further noted that he eventually moved to the ADC because, according to him, his political base had also shifted in that direction, and as a leader, he believed it was important to align with the preferences of his constituents.
Further talking, he said, “Now almost everybody is leaving the APC, possibly because of the defect that I said observed. The internal democracy that most of us yearn for is absolutely lacking in the APC. The manner of even choosing flag bearers and candidates to run political elections in the APC is not very open.”
“And that’s why the consensus that they are now building on, as a modus operandi, is not really sitting down well with people. When you see very favoured candidates by the decision of the constituents are not respected and are rather being selected by the powers that be, doesn’t augur to most of us.”
He added that the decision to join the African Democratic Congress (ADC) was influenced by the belief that the party offers a more credible platform compared to others.
According to him, the party provides what he described as a “level playing field,” where all aspirants are given the opportunity to present themselves freely before the electorate. He said he felt the ADC structure allows candidates to first express their interest and then leave the final choice to the people, who can decide which aspirant they are most comfortable with…..See More
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