As the campaigns and lobbies for the leadership of the 10th National Assembly continue to dominate discussion in political circles in Nigeria, the Niger Delta Right Advocate, NDRA has thrown its weight behind Hon. Benjamin Kalu, the member representing Bende Federal Constituency and current Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, for the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt on Saturday, Bright Ngolo, National Coordinator of the group said its choice candidate, a two-term member of the house and current Spokesman of the House of Representatives; is the only one among all the elected candidates with multi-party acceptability.
He explained that the choice of NDRA of Kalu for the position of the Speaker of the House of Representatives was based on the “platform of merit, service, patriotic zeal, transparency and loyalty to the Nigerian project which are vital ingredients to unshackle our people from the twin evil of poverty and ignorance”.
“Our group, the Niger Delta Rights Advocates (NDRA), being a frontline advocacy group in the region, have worked tirelessly in the 4th republic to ensure the protection of the lives and livelihood of the long-suffering people of our region whose aquatic flora and fauna have experienced the worst form of devastation owing to crude exploitation and exploration.
“Our group therefore owes 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 in order to continuously hold down the oppressed”.
“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 can not 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 prioritize the needs of the long-suffering and marginalized people whether they are found in the Niger Delta or Benue or Kafanchan or Kaura Namode”.
He expressed confidence that the emergence of Hon. Benjamin Kalu would change the complexion and complexities of politics in the South East and by extension Nigeria because he brings to the table the much talked about handshake across the Niger.
Ngolo further explained; “Our interest is project Nigeria with priority for setting a Legislative Framework that would banish poverty in our region by reducing gas flaring, crude oil stealing, increasing entrepreneurship by deliberately encouraging artisanal refiners, licensing more modular refineries and promoting a green environment in the interest of our unborn generations as Niger Delta people”.
He insisted that Representative Benjamin Kalu fits the bill for the speaker of the Green Chamber of the National Assembly saying; “NDRA is minded therefore to throw our weight behind someone who brings what we call generational balance in the current leadership equation of the country and also an intellectually brilliant fellow.
According to him, Kalu is a 2nd term member of the Green Chamber and the sole survivor in the APC of the electoral dynamics that swept away many strong and mighty including the sitting Governor of Abia state in the February 25th 2023 elections.
“That this man survived the popular test of his people who returned him through the ballot as the only member of the House of Representatives on the APC ticket from Abia State”, Ngolo stated.
He went on; “In recent days, we have read of very pedestrian and jaundiced reasons why positions should be zoned or allocated to certain individuals which we find very ridiculous and insulting to our collective sensibilities as Nigerians.
“We have also read personal attacks, rendition of ethnic jingoism, unnecessary sense of entitlements, attempts at projecting candidates strongmen rather than institutions etc. All these point to one thing – the lack of democratic credentials by all those who seek to market and introduce obviously unqualified to the Nigerian people as Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives.
“From our calculations, if you aggregate the number of all Rep members from the opposition political parties and have them vote en mass for any candidate, there will be an upset. Therefore, the APC must do the right thing by choosing a pan-Nigerian, Kalu, in order to give Nigerians a Speaker who embodies national and not ethnic, regional or religious sentiments.
“For us and our allies across the country, we do believe that the mandate of Speaking for all Nigerians should rest on the young and energetic shoulders of this Nigerian.
Having contributed immensely to the growth of the democratic process with the sponsorship of over 43 bills, combining it effortlessly with the task of building bridges across several interests to stabilize the leadership of the 9th House of Representatives; serving as a member of the critical committee on the NDDC which has given him first-hand knowledge of the sufferings of the Niger Delta people; we reason that it would cost us more as a nation if we keep sacrificing our best brains on the altar of primordial sentiments”.
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