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A coalition of youth and women groups, with interest in development strategies and democratic accountability, Generation Next Collective (GNC), has expressed concern over what it described as an orchestrated ploy by external forces to hijack the minority leadership of the senate.
The group made the submission in a joint statement by its co-conveners, Barrister Ruth Edehemon and Malam Rufai Abdulahi, in Abuja, on Sunday, July 2, 2023.
It said that a legislature without a vibrant, experienced, knowledgeable and independent-minded opposition, would remain a liability to the nation and the people, who are the live-wire of participatory democracy.
The GNC said it was worried about the coordinated attack on the character and person of Senator Aminu Tambuwal, former Speaker of the House of Representatives and immediate past governor of Sokoto State, who it said ticks the objective leadership boxes, given his outstanding legislative and administrative leadership experience, capacity and capabilities.
“The former Speaker, Tambuwal, who is a frontline contestant for the office of the senate minority leader, has the required firmness, reach, emotional intelligence and maturity to provide an effective opposition leadership that would add value to the Legislature,” the statement read.
It noted that the role of minority or opposition leadership in a parliament is too critical to the integrity of the legislature, democratic practice and accountability, and therefore cannot be allowed to be pocketed by external interests that’s motivated by personal vendetta or ideals that do not put to account the overall interest of the people.
Emphasising the importance of Minority Leader’s responsibilities, it said that besides being the official spokesperson of opposition parties in particular and the people in general, the Minority Leader, “Develops the minority party’s legislative positions, directs negotiations with the majority party, coordinates the minority party’s strategy on the senate floor and also leads the minority party in floor debates, for the good of the people and progress of the nation.”
The statement said further: “The institution of the legislature in Nigeria has suffered bruises of negative public perception and mistrust in the immediate past administration, on account of how it handled some of its constitutional responsibilities, in a manner that made it appear like a rubberstamp to many.
“It should be noted that more than ever before, there is palpable apprehension among the people, over the quality of service delivery the 10th senate would offer to the people.
