Opposition parties pick 13-man C’ttee to select Reps Speaker, Deputy in one week

By Christiana Ekpa

Opposition parties in the incoming 10th National Assembly with the sobriquet “Greater Majority” has unveiled a 13 man committee to shortlist, screen and eventually recommend speakership and deputy speakership candidates from amongst them.

Recall that the parties last week rose from a meeting and resolved to contest for the top positions in the 10th House of Representatives.

In a statement released in Abuja on Monday by the minority caucus signed by the trio of its spokesmen: Hon. Afam Victor Ogene, Hon. Dachung Bagos and Hon. Gaza Jonathan Gbefwi, the opposition parties said it had the numerical strength of 183 to square up with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) which has 177 members.

The opposition named Hon. Nicholas Mutu as Chairman, and Hon. Afam Victor Ogene as Secretary of the screening committee.

Members of the screening committee are Rt. Hon Nicholas Mutu; Hon. Abdulmumini Jibrin (Deputy Chairman, NNPP); Hon. Oluwole Oke Member (PDP); Hon. Gaza Jonathan Gbefwi (Member, SDP); Hon. Beni Lar (Member PDP); Hon. Dr. Ali Isa JC (Member, PDP); Hon. Kabiru Alhassan Rurum (Member, NNPP ); Hon. Donatus Mathew Kuzalio (Member LP); Hon. Yusuf Salisu Majigiri (Member PDP); Hon. Nnabuife Chinwe Clara (Member YPP); Hon. Gwacham Maureen Chinwe (Member APGA); Hon. Idris Salman Member ADC) and Hon. Afam Ogene (Secretary LP).

The statement read in parts: “Barely one week ago, precisely on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, We, the seven political parties which make up the minority bloc of the 10th Assembly of the House of Representatives, announced to the Nigerian people, via your different media organs, that it would, ultimately, seek to field candidates for the offices of Speaker and Deputy Speaker from among our ranks.

“This position has largely been foisted on the emergent 10th Assembly by the discordant tunes coming from the stable of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

“Conscious, however, of the common pact which our respective political parties have with the Nigerian people, to wit, ‘holding government accountable to the people,’ we resolved to step into the arena, by offering credible and alternative leadership options.

“Our position is further bouyed by our dominant numerical strength, which by parliamentary ethos, precedent and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, As amended, allows us to contest the Presiding Officers position.

“Since emerging as the “Greater Majority,” with a combined members-elect tally of 183, as against the APC’s total of 177, history beckons on us to constructively, and creatively, chart the path towards the deepening of our nation’s democracy.

“Consequently, and in keeping with it’s resolve in that regard, the “Greater Majority” of the 10th House of Representatives has put together an 11-man Committee - complemented by a chairman and secretary - charged with the task of shortlisting, screening and eventual recommendation of aspirants for the Speakership and Deputy Speaker positions.

“With a long-standing member of the House of Representatives, the Rt. Hon. Nicholas Mutu as Chairman, and Hon. Afam Victor Ogene as Secretary, the Committee has one week to turn in its report.”

Members elect speak on choice of next principal officers

By Musa Baba Adamu

Across section of senatorselect and memberselect of the House of Representatives on Monday set various criteria in the choice of incoming key Principal Officers of the National Assembly.

The lawmakers who spoke at the induction for new members, said competence, ranking and zoning should be the criteria in the selection process.

For Sen. Godswill Akpabio (APC-Akwa-Ibom), the retreat is very essential particularly for new senators, adding that it will take them through the legislative processes.

On zoning, the former Gov. of Akwa-Ibom said “In terms of what the ruling party is thinking of, we are only awaiting the decision of the National Working Committee (NWC) of our great party which I believe will come out very soon.

“Then we will know what position is going to which individual or the other. It is not something we should begin to speculate.

“I believe justice will be done in terms of balancing the political equation of the country to ensure peace and a very peaceful tenure for the incoming President.”

Akpabio, according to reports, is the party’s candidate for the office of the Senate President, said he was not worried about the alliances by some of his party members with other parties.

“I am not worried; It is a normal thing; I always describe politics as a game of concentric circles of conspiracies. So I am not worried about anything. I believe strongly that the will of God will be done.

“My chance is in the hands of my colleagues, the senators, they will take the decision to the will of God.

On executive interference in the leadership process, Akpabio said that the “lawmakers are going to be the ones choosing the next senate president.

“When you talk of if there should be independence, I believe there should be cooperation between the parties and the lawmakers.

“When leadership is put in place there should be collaboration between the executive and parliament to ensure smooth administration.

“We are mutually dependent on one another. We can only get better when democracy matures,” he said.

Sen. Osita Izunaso (APCImo) said that the most natural thing to do was to zone the office of the Senate President to the South East.

He said “It is long over view. If you ever contemplated zoning it to the South, it is a natural thing that it should go to the South-East.

“South-East is part of this process. South-East voted for APC.

“Today in the Senate, APC has the majority from the south-east; we have six senators elected. Are you aware that PDP has one senator elect in the south east.

“We in the south-east APC, we have done exceedingly well that the party should begin to look into doing the right thing.

“The right thing is to zone the office of the Senate President to the South-East,” Izunaso said.

Sen. Ned Nwoko (PDPDelta) said that the dividing line “is that whether we want an independent national assembly or we want an assembly that is controlled by the Presidency.

“For me that is the dividing line. Nothing else matters. We must be independent, we must be able to protect the interest of Nigerians.

“We must be able to do what is good for Nigerians and the only way we can achieve this is if we are independent.

“For me there are no other issues that are important.

“I have spoken about the marginalisation of the southeast. I’m speaking on the need to look at the direction because of the obvious imbalances in the scheme of thing.

“The most important issue is the Independence of the National Assembly.”

Sen. Suleiman Sumaila (NNPP-Kano) said that politics was a game of interest.

“There is no criss. This is a game of interest, therefore you cannot detach interest from politics.

“We can resolve the quagmire, the interest through the provision of the Constitution. The constitution is very clear on the election of the presiding officers of the national assembly.

“Every member of the national assembly has the right to become Senate President or Seaker.

“We are practicing Presidential system of government, separation of power is paramount.

“Therefore the parliament and executive is an independent institution working independently for the best interest of the country.

“Therefore, allow the legislator to do their own through the provision of the Constitution and allow the executive do their own.

“Which zoning? Even if we have zoning, let us do it among ourselves for the smooth running of the national assembly.

“We need to manage ourselves, we need to manage our diversity. The only way we can take Nigeria to the next level is to follow the Constitution.”

On his part, Rep. Benjamin Kalu (APC-Abia) who is the present Spokesperson of the House of Representatives and re-elected, he “In a democratic climes like ours, the ruling party plays a major role in setting up the architecture of government.”

Kalu is contesting for the Office if the Speaker, House of Representatives.

He said: “For some of us who believe in the supremacy of the party, we always tag along with the position of the party.

“My ambition was to be the speaker of the house of representatives, it is for the party that gave me the platform to come to house of representatives.

“I canvassed to aspire for that position because of the absence of south-east on that seat for 40 years and also we have men of capacity, competence, credibility and courage that will be able to handle the activities of that particular office effectively.

For the only Female contestant for the Office of the Speaker, Rep. Miriam Onuoha (APC-Imo) “we need a lot more presence of women in all cadres and shades of life.

“Percentage of women participation has remained five per cent. It is not improving.”