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By Chukwudi Nweje
A group, Northern Alliance for Democracy (NAD), has alleged plot by some elements within the All Progressives Congress (APC) to threaten, intimidate and possibly arrest Aliyu Betara and Senator-elect Abdulaziz Yari, an aspirant for the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives and Senate president respectively.
Betara, chairman of the Committee on Appropriations House of Representatives and Yari, former governor of Zamfara State have indicated their interest in contesting for the respective positions against the zoning arrangements of the APC for the leadership of the legislature.
NAD in a statement signed by Jubril Mohammed and Bala Sarki, its chairman and secretary respectively stated that information at their disposal indicate that some APC “powerful elements”
The group called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to as a true democrat, respect the rules of the National Assembly and allow the legislators-elect to choose their leadership by themselves by stopping those party hawks attempting to use undemocratic means to stop National Assembly members from pursuing their legitimate aspirations in the interest of democracy.
“We gathered from sources close to the ruling party that some powerful elements in the leadership of the party have vowed to get the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Department of State Security (DSS), and the Independent and Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), to threaten, intimidate and invite the duo for questioning on trumped up charges with a view to frustrating their aspirations”, the group said.
It wondered why the APC would not allow members of the 10th National Assembly-elect to choose their leadership on their own in line with the provisions of Section 50 (1) (a) and (b) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
“What is their offence? That the APC allow the members of the National Assembly to elect their leaders in accordance with constitutional provisions. Section 50 (1) (a) and (b) granted members of the National Assembly the right to elect their leaders — Senate President and Deputy Senate President, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives — from among themselves.
“We note that the quickest way to compromise the independence and integrity of the legislature, and thereby subvert democracy, is this propensity by the ruling parties over the years to select leaders for the National Assembly, rather than allow the members to elect their own leaders in accordance with the provisions of the constitution.
“We remember that the decision of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under President Olusegun Obasanjo to select leaders of the 4th Senate between 1999 and 2003 degenerated into serial crises that resulted in four senate presidents within four years.
“Under President Goodluck Jonathan, the PDP administration had a problem with the 7th House of Representatives when its selections for Speaker and Deputy Speaker failed to win on the floor of the House, and only recently in the 8th Senate, the failed attempt by the APC to impose a senate president caused a crisis of trust and confidence between the 8th National Assembly and the Presidency.”
