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- Says over 100 bullets pumped into his campaign office
From Tony John, Port Harcourt
The Niger Delta Rights Advocates (NDRA) has advised members of the House of Representatives to eschew sentiments and mundane considerations in choosing House Leadership.
The group’s advice was on the heels of ongoing debates on the proposed constitution of the leadership of the yet-to-be-inaugurated 10th National Assembly.
NDRA, in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Bright Ngolo, stressed that the formation of the leadership of the 10th National Assembly should be based on character, integrity, popularity and respect for the institution.
The NDRA, a political pressure group and foremost advocacy group on the rights of indigenous people, specifically said the micro-zoning of the post of Deputy Speaker to Benjamin Kalu, a member representing Bende Federal Constituency from South East, by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is a reward for loyalty and, therefore, should be supported.
Ngolo stated: “The 10th NASS leadership must be built around character, integrity, popularity, respect for the institution and getting the due of members to ensure even development is attracted across the board. Hon Kalu has the charisma and competence and fits into these skill set. It would amount to a great disservice to this nation if emotional and or any other mundane sentiments are put on the table as considerations in the choice of the House leadership.
“It is true that the National Working Committee of the APC, which is the ruling party at the centre has presented the post of Deputy Speaker to the South East and the zone has a plethora of qualified sons and daughters at the House of Representatives, especially those of the APC extraction. It is only natural and imperative that one person be projected to occupy the seat of Deputy Speaker.
“If a critical look at the three House of Reps members-elect of the APC extraction is carried out, the capacity of Hon. Kalu shows in the number of bills which he has to his credit, the highest in the entire South East with 43 to his name and three assented to by Mr President. On motions on national issues of importance, he ranks the highest with 22 to his name.
“On representation, Hon. Kalu has attracted the comparative highest in the percentage of value of infrastructure attracted to the South East which runs to billions of Naira.
“On visibility as the spokesperson of the ninth House of Representatives, for four years, he has defended the House well and projected the image of the Igbo nation better for those of us in the Niger Delta to notice. He is a better and acceptable Igbo image for the Igbos even beyond the shores of this country. He is not only visible but cerebral on national discuss.”
NDRA noted the proven loyalty Kalu has shown in boldly spreading the message of change in his party in his area, which led to the attack on his campaign office.
Ngolo continued: “In terms of loyalty to the party, Hon Kalu fearlessly preached the message of the APC even in the face of danger in the zone. We want Nigerians and the party apparatus to understand that micro-zoning the post of Deputy Speaker to Hon. Kalu is a reward for loyalty to the party as the campaign office he erected to market the APC was riddled with over 100 bullets by yet-to-be-identified assailants due to his resilience in harvesting votes for the APC.”
The group further stated that the choice of leadership of the National Assembly should not be left to the ruling elite, adding that the citizens also have a role to play.
“We believe that the choice of leadership of the National Assembly should not be left to the ruling elite, but that citizens and, indeed, the electorate, must have to debate the strengths and weaknesses of the dramatis personae vis-a-vis the performance of the current and past leaderships of the NASS.
“We do believe and rightly so, that it remains a moral burden for the nation to consider the inclusion of the South East zone to the leadership matrix of the nation and the formation of the leadership of the 10th National Assembly presents an auspicious opportunity to us all.”
