The Convener of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Prof. Ango Abdullahi, yesterday urged the All Progressives Congress (APC) to refrain from interfering in the selection of principal officers of the 10th National Assembly.
Abdullahi emphasised that the constitution clearly outlines the process by which the National Assembly should select its principal officers, noting that the process should be strictly followed.
Abdullahi, who spoke in Abuja during a press briefing, said the National Assembly should not only be allowed to choose its principal officers but also determine its mode of operation, as long as it aligns with the constitution.
He said: “The NEF, like other groups in this country, is deeply concerned about the well-being of Nigeria in every aspect – political, economic, social and so on.
“One area of particular interest and concern is the legislative branch of government. Our constitution provides for three autonomous branches of government. They are expected to work together in the overall interest of the country while also serving as a system of checks and balances.
“The Constitution clearly outlines the separation of powers between the executive branch, the legislative arm and the judiciary. At this point, the National Assembly is expected to have leaders – the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Each chamber, even within the context of the National Assembly, has the independence to decide how this should be done.
“The foundation for this lies in the constitution, which stipulates how this institution should be formed and how its leadership should be provided. In our discussions, particularly within the NEF, we emphasise the importance of strictly adhering to the constitution. The focus is on the National Assembly, which is expected to decide who will be the President of the Senate, the Speaker and the various positions that accompany them.”
He further noted that the NEF has already discussed and agreed that the National Assembly is an autonomous body that should determine its own leadership and mode of operation.
“We strongly advise that the Members-elect of the National Assembly should be left entirely alone to decide their leaders. The issue at hand is not which party is in power or which party has the majority. It is a matter of allowing the process to take its course. And that course involves the members-elect deciding their leaders through the agreed-upon process in their chambers,” Abdullahi added.
He also claimed that the North amassed 63 per cent of votes for the APC in the last presidential election, of which 33 per cent came from the North-West.
“There’s a worrying development that is happening now, especially the issue of religion, which has cropped up into our polity. This is very sad indeed. There is no religious party in this country; the Constitution is very clear. Anybody who proposes a religious party, that party will not be approved.
“So I always ask, where is Muslim party of Nigeria? Or where is Christian party of Nigeria? There is none. Nigerians who belong to these various ethnic and religious groups have a choice in terms of where to associate, and it is this association that has produced the government that is sitting now.
“I voted; 63 per cent of votes that brought APC into power are from Northern Nigeria. I come from the North West; we gave Tinubu 30-33 per cent of votes and he couldn’t get this percentage from the South where he comes from.
“So you can see that if you want to take these extreme views into our democracy, things will not be easy for this diverse country. I must pause and commend our first generation leaders who moulded this country together despite their differences. No part of the country has been left out,” he noted.
