‘…There should be independence of parliament’
All Progressives Congress (APC) deputy national publicity secretary, Mr Yekini Nabena, has said that the party’s decision on the selection and zoning of principal officers for the incoming 9th National Assembly “is supreme.”
Nabena stated this Wednesday in Abuja in a chat with journalists.
According to the Bayelsa-born chieftain of the party, the party’s decision must be respected by its legislative caucus and opposition lawmakers in the National Assembly.
He, therefore, advised the outgoing President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, to steer clear of the leadership in both legislative chambers.
“The APC has learnt its lesson from the outgoing National Assembly when impostors masquerading as party men sabotaged our party and hijacked our mandate; affliction shall not rise up the second time.
“The efforts by the Adams Oshiomhole leadership of the party are commendable in achieving a fair selection and zoning arrangement that appeals to a greater section of the party’s stakeholders.
“APC has overwhelming majority in the National Assembly and has a legitimate right to make its choices on the selection and zoning of principal offices,” he said.
Continuing, he said, “The APC family is in agreement on the party’s supremacy and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other opposition parties should focus on their minority positions.”
The APC stalwart also said Saraki and Dogara as well as the PDP NASS caucus had been moving from pillar to post to frustrate the plans of the APC.
He said the PDP had a hidden evil plot to interfere in the emergence of incoming National Assembly leaders, adding that the APC was aware of the scheming by Saraki, Dogara and the PDP caucus to interfere with the emergence of the incoming National Assembly leadership.
He, however, said “their plans are bound to fail as the APC is a strong party with unity of purpose.”
Independence of parliament
Meanwhile, a group of old and serving members of the House of Representatives, under the aegis of Faculty Board of Initiatives, has called for the National Assembly to members to be allowed to independently choose who leads, them.
Led by its Dean and former spokesman of the House, Eseme Eyiboh, the group on Wednesday, warned that the legislature should be allowed to choose its leadership.
He said if government or the three arms must stand in a tripod arrangement, then the legislature should be allowed to choose its leadership, adding that “in such critical contest, stakeholders must begin a talent hunt to get the best, especially for the positions of Senate president, speaker, House of Representatives.”
“History, from Nabba up to Dogara is very consistent. The general interest of a particular candidate and the independence of the legislature have often been uppermost in the hearts of the lawmakers in choosing their leaders.
“Interest of members, separation of powers and independence of legislature are something very consistent,” he said.
The group also said “whoever is interested in becoming speaker, or any leadership position in the National Assembly must be acceptable, galvanise interest of members, and all political parties are stakeholders in choosing the principal parties, instead of the whims and caprices of one political party.”
