10th Assembly: Groups Kick against Kalu’s Speakership Aspiration

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The Coalition of Northern Patriotic Front, South-west Professionals and Coalition of Arewa Youth Groups have kicked against the aspiration of Hon. Ben Kalu, one of the contestants for the Speakership position of the House of Representatives.

Addressing journalists on behalf of the groups on Thursday in Abuja, the President, Arewa Youths, Tijani Abdulmumuni, said the press conference was called to raise concern on certain issues concerning the leadership of the 10th Assembly.

He said they have observed that the contest for the leadership of the 10th National Assembly, of which the APC is in firm control, has become, for some, a theatre to display their naivety. 

Abdulmumuni noted that as experienced political players and stakeholders, they are all aware that the National Assembly is the engine room of the success of any government, adding that the growth of the country’s democracy owes much to the quality of leadership produced in the parliament.

The groups warned that a party that fails to get the leadership of the National Assembly right might not witness major development, stressing that the 8th Assembly was a classical example, where President Muhammadu Buhari-led government could not do much because of the emergence of rebellious groups within the APC who worked in cross purposes against the policies of the ruling party throughout their stint. 

Abdulmumuni noted that the elections have come and gone, but observed that those that allegedly sold the party to the opposition, especially in the South-east where it was now rumoured that the next Speaker might emerge from, are the same people whose voices had been so loud in the race to take over the leadership in the House. 

He noted that it was a given fact that the outgoing Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has raised the bar of leadership of the House with his commanding performance in the last eight years, adding that it was therefore expected that the tempo should be sustained to make this institution an admiration for other developing democracies.

Abdulmumuni was of the opinion that Gbajabiamila’s illustrious outing has made the choosing of a worthy successor inevitable, adding that any lowering of the present standard of leadership in the House by a triumph of mediocrity over excellence would be resisted.

The groups stressed that among the criteria that should guide the House members in the choice they make would be their scorecard; contributions to the success of the party during the last election and public perception of those who have shown interest to lead. 

The groups said: “While it is excusable that some of the aspirants are in gross deficit of public visibility, it is gravely depressing that some of them ooze negativity and are vastly diminished by all manners of negative publicity they have incurred in the past. While the issue of loyalty stare Benjamin on the face, like the sword of Damascus the his alleged complicity in marital issues hangs on his head.

“The hallowed Chamber of the House should not be reduced to a customary court where a Speaker would be accused of snatching married women from poor spouses. Further as part of sieving the wheat from the chaff, every speaker hopeful whose reputation has been tarnished by scandals should be given no more than a passing glance by his colleagues.

“The position of a Speaker of the House of Representatives is not for experiment and must not and should not be slaughtered on the altar of ethnic sentiment to pave the way for mediocrity  who have barely served out their first term in the house.”

The groups said they have watched with keen interest the number of actors contesting the position of the Speaker, especially in the South- east where many believed it is likely going to be zoned to.

The groups added: “The likes of Benjamin Kalu, the current spokesman of the House, who bandies his aspiration with objectionable sense of entitlement and a host of others in the region who have also indicated interest and we are by this compelled to call on the ruling party to look beyond ethnic or religion colouration to go for the best in the best interest of the country. 

“We have also watched with consternation, the brazen manner with which saboteurs, who traded the interest of the APC and its presidential candidate with some treacherous groups who are against the sanctity of the Nigerian State trying to take over leadership of the incoming Assembly.”

The groups insisted that in pursuance of balancing act and preservation of Nigeria’s sanctity, the leadership of the National Assembly should be zoned to the South-east. However, in doing so, equity, justice and fairness should be applied, adding that it would amount to violation of divine injunction, if people are allowed to reap from where they did not sow.

They insisted  that the likes of Kalu, who obviously do not possess the prerequisite qualities to man the House, should bury their ambition of becoming a speaker and be patient to learn the ropes and allow themselves to be groomed.