Better Nigeria Movement, a group from the civil society, has urged the All Progressives Congress, the party in power, to let the incoming lawmakers-elect choose their leaders.
the senator who represents Kano North, Barau Jibrin, and the recently-retired minister of Niger Delta affairs, Godswill Akpabio, as the senate president and deputy, respectively.
Tajudeen Abbas, a legislator from Kaduna, and Benjamin Kalu, a lawmaker from Imo, were chosen by the ruling party to serve as speaker and deputy in the lower legislative house.
However, the initiative has been opposed by certain party members, members of the opposing parties, and several newly elected politicians.
The President, Bola Tinubu, planned a meeting with the lawmakers-elect from opposition parties during the power struggle on Monday.
However, the group’s secretary, Bako Saliu, said in a statement on Sunday that the party’s decision was an imposition that, if not reversed, may put the 10th parliament in danger.
The announcement said, in part, “The ninth National Assembly will wrap up its operations in a week. The 10th National Assembly’s leadership was zoned by the APC in April to the South-South (Senate President), North West (Deputy Senate President), North West (Speaker), and South East (Deputy Speaker).
There are attempts by certain gladiators to upstage a surprise on June 14 when the legislators meet. “While the anointed candidates have been traveling the length and breadth of the country seeking the support of colleagues, state governors, and other stakeholders,”
“Our opinion is that the leaders should be chosen by the incoming parliamentarians. A zone is not a person; therefore, even if the NWC allocated the position to the North West and South-South, they ought to be allowed to select the finest candidates from the area.
It is clear that some lawmakers-elect, including those from the same region as the chosen candidates, are dissatisfied with how the speaker of the house and the president of the senate were chosen. They have maintained that they weren’t contacted. If this is not handled, it is a catastrophe waiting to happen in the 10th assembly.
