Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Ahead of Tuesday’s election of the principal officers of both chambers of the 9th Assembly, a socio-cultural and political group under the auspices of Middle Belt Alliance for Peace, Development and United Nigeria, has tasked elected members to settle for a speaker with good credentials to complement President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption drive.
The group equally made a case for Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, describing him as “the best person among the aspirants to be elected speaker,” just as they insisted that the gesture would give the people of the South East a sense of belonging.
In a statement signed by the association’s National President, Mike Oche and made available to newsmen in Abuja, the group stated that Nigeria deserves a speaker whose credentials will not come back to hunt him in the country or at the international stage.”
“Our main interest is geared towards who becomes the speaker of the House of Representative as earlier stated. This is because, there is no federal constituency in Nigeria that doesn’t have a representative there. In this connection, we mandated all members of Middle Belt Alliance for Peace, Development and United Nigeria in all the 19 northern state and beyond to do thorough investigation especially on the profiles of those aspiring to be the No 4 citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“We believe with all sincerity that he will emerge speaker by the power of the almighty God! We also call on the APC leaders to reconsider the zoning of the speakership position to the South-East to give every segments of the country a sense of belonging devoid of ethnicity, tribes, religion and political affiliations. No doubt, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba is the best person among the aspirants to be elected as speaker. He has no report of criminality. Nigeria deserves a speaker whose past will not hunt the House in particular and the country in general, and even at the international community.
“In this matter, sensitivity is key and having someone with smashed image will send a dangerous signal to the international community. President Muhammadu Buhari is a man of impeccable character and integrity with no affinity to corruption.
“We have many members-elect without any allegation of corruption hanging around their necks and with requisite experience to steer the course of the House. Thank God a decent, hardworking, God-fearing, highly educated and detribalise nationalist as Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, a one-time honourable member of the House of Representative, a gubernatorial candidate of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) , else while board chairman of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETHFUND) and a chieftain of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) who in all ramifications has enough leadership qualities and legislative experience to pilot the affairs of the Green Chamber of the Nigeria NASS is in the race. So, there’s no need to search thus far,” the statement read.