Members contesting for the position of the Speaker of the 10th Assembly under the aegis of G-7, on Thursday vowed to resist ongoing attempts by the outgoing Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila to impose his preferred Candidates, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas and Hon. Benjamin Kalu as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The aggrieved lawmakers who made the commitment during the declaration of Hon. Sani Jaji (APC-Zamfara) for the position of the Speaker of the 10th Assembly, frowned at the reasons adduced by Hon. Gbajabiamila on the choice of the controversial preferred candidates.
In his address, the incumbent Deputy Speaker, Hon. Idris Wase who insisted that “in democracy in Nigeria, the rights of putting people in power lies in the people. And then it’s only when you have that that you have a true democracy.
“My brothers, colleagues, much has been said and I want to adopt every singular statement said here before me as part of my own speech, that we need to rise to the occasion as Parliamentarians so that we can speak to our people. We can speak in defence of democracy, we can speak in consonance with international best practices works over.
“Colleagues, like my Brother Gagdi said, we are not fighting, but we believe certain things have gone wrong but I’ve never seen what’s going on if I heard exactly what Hon. Tajudeen’s inauguration, of my hat he heard him say yesterday on television, I want to put a challenge to our Colleagues, are we going to allow such to happen to us? (No)! One person to run the Institution? One person to run Nigeria? One person to choose leadership for us?
“Representation is about democracy and we need to at every point in time engage people and the arrogancy is becoming too much. If somebody can get to the National television and speak the way, if at all he said that, I think we have every reason to rise and rise to the occasion to defend democracy and ensure that we have credible leaders that will lead us. I never thought that anybody who believes in the scripture whether Christian or Muslim will be that arrogant. Because Allah said He gives power to who likes and He seizes powers from whom He wishes and gives powers to whom He wishes. And in doing that humility is part of leadership.
“So, I want to plead with our Leaders to listen to us, so that we do not allow one or two persons to be invalidated that there’s no vacancy in this country. Internationally, world over, leadership are chosen through consultation and I want to believe what is good for the goose is good for the gander. Our party anointed somebody for Presidential Candidate, Nigerians said no it’s Asiwaju we wanted and indeed he’s the one that we wanted and he eventually emerged. And I want to believe if …my brother for a special reason known to him, will not stand the test of time. This group by the grace of God will produce the Speaker.
“And we are planned to work in defence of democracy. We are going to work in Defence of our fatherland. We are going to work for the dividends of democracy to trickle down to all Nigerians.
“So, I also believe in the unity of this country and whatever we did and we are doing is for the prosperity and development of this country. We shall by grace of God not succumb to any blackmail, to any shenanigan. Because I was told yesterday again that Members-elect are being threatened or being threatened of their positions.
“But I believe my Leader Asiwaju, the President-elect, will not allow that day to come without resolving this matter. I believe in his capacity, I believe in the capacity of my party that they will be able to resolve, and resolve this matter quickly. The sign now is that they are saying they have conquered and everybody must be a slave. In Nigeria I think no.
“I want to believe we are people of conscience and I want to believe we are people who are right guided. Within the small space that God has given us we are always doing the right thing and we will always do the right thing. May Allah help us, may he guide us and never allow those who want to bring down the unity so far into pieces. My prayer is that Nigeria will rise again and we will be better.”
On his part, another frontline Aspirant and member of the G7, Hon. Yusuf Gagdi (APC-Plateau), said: “I want to use this opportunity to pass a message that we are one and the National Assembly is for all Nigerian people. And if that is so…yes, G-7…some people are writing in the pages of newspapers that G-7 is not G-6.
“I don’t consider the news going round that anybody among us that believes in ourselves has ever dropped to join another group. Those people have already been on their own abinitio; they have not been with us. And it is politics, we are not fighting. People have the right to align and join whoever they want to join.
“The second message is this: We have been watching for more than one week and the G-7 will start. And when we start, we are unstoppable.”
In his declaration for the 10th Assembly Speaker, former Chairman, House Committee on Navy, Hon. Sani Jaji affirmed that his aspiration is not about “desperation but an aspiration on the sentiment looking at the glaring challenges bedeviling the 9th Assembly.
“We consider this as an important aspect to us, especially we members elected by our constituencies. The mandate given to us is not a mandate of luxury. It is a matter of concern and we need to do the necessary things to change and transform our country for better. Under my leadership, if I emerge, I believe it is going to be a stronghold for democracy to trump and make sure that every legislative business is carried out based on the principles of the rules and Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The way forward most especially in the areas of insecurity, economy and of course infrastructure deficit, if I am given the opportunity to serve as the speaker.
“In terms of legislation it is something that we have to give it utmost concern and priroyty to review the National Security Act if given the opportunity. What we are marking today is unity and trust.
“The issue of education we are fully aware the promises of the incoming President-elect that he would make sure all students would get loans while studying. This cannot be possible without legislation and I am sure the 360 members are all committed to drive that process in making our youths to the limelight.
He also expressed delight “when I realize that the 9th Assembly is being operated at the instance of the leadership. Deputy speaker I can say congratulations to you because you are exonerated completely from the blood suckers of the National Assembly.
“God willing competence, capacity and political sagacity that can vie for that office. It is not child’s play and not an office that one can sit somewhere to say he anointed somebody to discharge responsibility on my behalf. We are not looking for an extension of the 9th Assembly.
“We are looking for the continuation of an Assembly that can only sit when matters of concern are to the leadership and their personal interests. If we are there we would do our best to restore sanity and unity to the national Assembly.”
READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
