By Cross Udo, Abuja
Ahead of the June inauguration of the 10th National Assembly, a group under the aegis of Niger Delta Rights Advocates (NDRA) has kicked against a zoning or religious consideration in the choice of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
NDRA said it stands on the platform of merit, service, patriotic zeal, transparency, and loyalty to the Nigerian project which it said is viral ingredients to unshackle our people from the twin evil of poverty and ignorance.
It also said that based on the aforementioned criteria, it was emboldened to set a clear agenda for the leadership that it wishes for Nigerians, which must be built on transparency, accountability, trust, intelligence, and above all youthfulness.
Consequently, NDRA said it was queuing behind Hon Tajudeen Abbas, a member representing the Zaria federal constituency in the House of Representatives for the speakership.
The group, which claimed to have been at the forefront of advocacy for legislative coherence, intelligence, and activism in the 10th Assembly, said the beauty of democracy is in the separation of powers and the legislature should remain the bastion of democracy by maintaining its position as the voice of the electorate.
A statement issued by Bright Ngolo on behalf of Niger Delta Rights Advocates, said, “The Nigerian-styled democracy needs to strike a balance between legislative activism and achieving results in the overall interest of a largely under-developed populace and economy.
“Our group therefore owes it as a duty to our people and indeed Nigerians not to fall for the age-long debate of zoning, religion, class, or age which are sentiments and gimmicks crafted by political oppressors to continuously hold down the oppressed.
“The NDRA stands on the platform of merit, service, patriotic zeal, transparency, and loyalty to the Nigerian project which are viral ingredients to unshackle our people from the twin evil of poverty and ignorance.
“Therefore, we are emboldened to set a clear agenda for the leadership that we wish for Nigerians, which must be built on transparency, accountability, trust, intelligence, and above all youthfulness.
“We cannot talk about the leadership of the most important arm of the National Assembly, which aggregates the totality of our diversities as a people, without talking about getting a leadership that will prioritise the needs of the long-suffering and marginalized people whether they are found in the Niger Delta or Benue or Kafanchan or Kaura Namode. Our interest is to project Nigeria with priority for setting a legislative framework that will banish poverty.
“We are not unaware of the diversities in interests and the aspirations of other candidates for the Speakership of the House of Representatives, but we cannot fall for cheap, pedestrian, and jaundiced theories on the arguments of zoning of positions.
“These emotional arguments have indeed succeeded in eroding the key argument of the capacity and competence of these aspirants. We appeal to the media not to fall for this ugly narrative as this will only help derail the gains our democracy has made so far.
“Our major question for those arguing against the preference of Hon Tajudeen Abbas, member representing Zaria federal constituency in the House of Representatives is – does he qualify to serve as Speaker of the House?
“Our answer is a capital YES. Hon Abbas has never been lazy ever since he joined the House of Representatives, in the life of the outgoing Assembly, he ranks as one of the most useful contributors with a total of 73 bills.”
