10th House Leadership: Reject Imposition of Tajudeen Abass, Group Tells Reps Members

Juliet Akoje in Abuja

A group called True Democrats yesterday after an  emergency meeting opposed the ongoing moves to impose Hon. Tajudeen Abass as Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives.

In a statement made available to newsmen yesterday in Abuja and signed by the national coordinator of the group, Dr Mustapha Yusuf, the group argued that the move is antithetical to the tenets of democracy and the rule of law.

The group further warned the House of Representatives members elect to guard against any action that would compromise the independence of the legislature,  calling on members elect to freely choose from among aspirants jostling for the seat of the Speaker of the House of Representatives based on their pedigree, level of acceptability, competence and experience over the years.

The group also urged the President-elect and the leadership of the APC to drop the idea of imposing Tajudeen Abass on members of the House in the interest of peace and tranquility in the country.

“The President-elect must not allow anti-democratic forces not to cajole him into interfering in a function exclusively provided for the legislators by the Nigerian Constitution. Those behind it are doing so for their own personal and selfish biddings which is inimical to our nations democracy”

“The idea is to have an independent arm of government called the legislature for the purpose of providing checks and balances in such a manner to avoid the concentration of powers in one body as this would lead to usurp of powers and consequently degenerate to dictatorship, tyranny and operation”
“We must do things the right way. We must not allow imposition of principal officers of the national Assembly on our legislators”