– Parliament must enjoy its independence- lawmakers insist
Sola POPOOLA
Principal officers, including ,Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Idris Wase,the Majority Leader of House, member representing Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal Constituency, in Kano ,Hon.Alhassan Ado Doguwa were among dignitaries who graced the official declaration of the Chairman, House Committee on Appropriations, Rt. Hon. Muktar Betara Aliyu for the Speakership position of the 10th National Assembly.
At the colourful event held at the Transcorp Hilton, Hotel ,Abuja the lawmakers said they were in the ceremony to identify with one of their own ,Betara who they argued had the requisites experience and expertise to lead the 10th assembly.
In his remarks, Hon Wase, faulted the choice of the chairman, House Committee on Land Transport Tajudeen Abass, by the All Progressives Congress ( APC) as its consensus candidate for speakership of the 10th House.
The Deputy Speaker therefore called on lawmakers not to allow the parliament to be hijacked.
” Again, I want to add that we are here to ensure the independence of the parliament. To ensure that we work together. Every Parliamentarian must rise to the occasion. We will work as a team. We will not allow this parliament to be hijacked. We will not allow this parliament to be made a lame duck. I believe we are loyal to our country first. Loyal to our party and loyal to our people.
“When say you you have a consensus candidate, the language for consensus is that there have been mass consultations, people go to table for discussion. There is agreement. In this case, we just saw and we are hearing rumors, speculations that some people have been made consensus candidates. I don’t know whether that is the meaning of consensus. This place is very sacred. We must be Honourable in our action in defence of the federal republic if Nigeria.” Hon Wase said.
Commenting on the APC National Working Committee’s position on zoning, Hon. Ado Doguwa maintained that the parliament must always be allowed to choose its leaders.
Doguwa also said that it was not for outsiders to decide who leads the House.
“One message I want to our across is that the parliament is one institution that must always be allowed to choose own leaders. The business of our leadership should be solely our business and no other person’s business. In a situation where you have some people in whatsoever guise trying to decide our leadership, to form our leadership from outside without consulting us I think that should be seen as a mere failure.
“I remain available for consultations until that is done , every one will answer his father’s name,”
Earlier in his speech, Hon Betara expressed gratitude to his colleagues for huge show of love.
“All has been said about Betara, but the most important thing today is for me to declare that I am contesting for the speakership of the tenth Assembly,” Betara said.
Betara said he was happy to see the faces of his colleagues from the ninth assembly.
Other dignitaries at the event were the Governor elect ,Niger State,Hon Umaru Bago,the New Nigeria People’s Party(NNPP) Senator elect from Kano, Jubrin.