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…Alleges plot to arrest, intimidate, influence them
From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised the alarm over alleged plot by some All Progressives Congress (APC) members to intimidate lawmakers-elect so as to influence the election of presiding officers in the 10th National Assembly.
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, who raised this alarm at a press briefing, yesterday, in Abuja, disclosed that part of the plot was to arrest some of the lawmakers-elect, who are insisting on the independence of the legislature, ahead of the inauguration of National Assembly on Tuesday.
It would be recalled that the APC had announced Godswill Akpabio and Jibrin Barau as its preferred candidates for the positions of Senate President and Deputy Senate President respectively. While in the House, the party settled for Tajudeen Abass and Benjamin Kalu for the positions of Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively.
Ologunagba, therefore, charged lawmakers-elect to insist on the right of parliamentarians to elect leaders of their choice.
He noted that the interest of the people is paramount and must be reflected in the choice of who becomes the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives in the 10th Assembly.
According to him, the legislature is the symbol of democracy, as it embodies the sovereignty that resides with the people in a constitutional democracy.
He, therefore, argued that the leadership of the two chambers of the National Assembly must reflect the choice of the lawmakers-elect without external influence.
His words: “The feelers we are getting from the public domain is the fact that some elements within the APC have become jittery and they continued to ensure that they influence the leadership of the NASS.
“Information at our disposal which are verifiable is that there are attempts by some APC elements to intimidate, harass and threaten lawmakers-elect with a view to influencing the outcome of the election on Tuesday on the floor of both houses as to who emerges the Speaker and the President of the Senate.
“Reports in terms of the harassment to arrest those people who are considered to be strong proponents of the independence of the legislature and who are at the forefront on the need to respect those standing rules that provides that members-elect should elect their own leadership without any external influence.
“We know that the independence of the legislature is a prerequisites for a virile democracy and we, therefore, insist that members-elect in both Houses must be allowed to elect their own leadership.
“National Assembly is the symbol of the sovereignty of the people in a participatory democracy. How do we express that? It is by electing people to represent you at the National Assembly in both Houses and through them you can speak. Whatever decision they are taking is on behalf of the people.
“Fundamental to this sovereignty is the choice of the presiding officers because that is how you establish that sovereignty.
The ability of that institution to elect its own leadership so that the sovereignty that resides in the people through their representatives can be enhanced in that institution.
“Therefore, we are calling on them and Nigerians to expect that members-elect should recognize the weight and responsibility expected on them because the trust of the people is to ensure that, that institution continues to develop our democracy, and ensure that the interest of the people are upheld in that institution and it stands with how the leadership emerges.”
