Ahead of the inauguration of the 9th National Assembly, a former governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara, Mallam Saliu Mustapha, has urged the party hierarchy to avoid a repeat of the 2015 leadership imbroglio in the federal legislative arm.
Mustapha, while speaking in Ilorin, said that the party could not afford to re-enact the developments that dogged the eighth National Assembly.
This, he said, conferred undue advantage on the opposition in the composition of the principal officers of the legislative arm.
Mustapha, who was the deputy national chairman of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), advocated justice and fairness to all geo-political zones in the selection of the leadership of the two chambers.
He said since the president and vice president were from the North West and South West respectively, it would be naturally right that other zones be considered for the post of presiding officers of the two legislative units.
The APC chieftain stressed the need for the party to reflect federal character principles to ensure equal representation in governance.
“It is a very easy trend and it would be a very easy solution this time around. We have learnt from our mistakes in the past.
“This time around, the leadership of the party will look at how best to make sure that minimally, there is cohesion in the leadership of the National Assembly that will emerge.
“For me, it is just about fairness and equity. We have six geo-political zones in the country. By a layman standard, there are six principal positions today in the country.
“Already, the president and vice president are going to North-west and South-west. Naturally and by federal character that we preach in the country, the other four should spread across.
“I will not want to jump the gun but I’m sure the leadership of the party, from the past experience, will not want what happened the other time to repeat itself.
“ I’m sure they will do the needful and the right thing so as to carry everybody along, and for Nigerians to know that this APC government that preached next level, is truly taking us to the next level,’’ Mustapha said.
On the second term re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari, he assured that life would be better for Nigerians.
“The president has been very critical about three issues: Security of lives and property, economy and the welfare of the people as well as fighting corruption.
“And by the time you have these three things in place, no society, country or nation will suffer.
“For him, he has seen it all. He has been there over the last four years and he has promised that things will be better.
“So, it is just an improvement and to consolidate on the good work he has been doing. By and large, life will be better for Nigerians,’’ he said. (NAN)
