Ahead of the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly on Tuesday, the Peoples Democratic Party( PDP) on Saturday alleged plans by the All Progressive Congress (APC)-led administration to arrest those opposed to its preferred candidates for leadership of the two chambers.
Party’s National Publicity Secretary (NPS), Debo Ologunagba, made the alleged this on Saturday while briefing journalists at the PDP national headquarters, Wadata Plaza, Abuja.
Ologunagba condemned attempts by the APC-led Federal Government to impose its preferred leadership on the lawmakers, a situation he said was against the provision of the Standing Order of both Chambers, which allows the lawmakers to elect their leaders.
He noted that since Nigeria practises a system of Separation of Powers, it was wrong for the Federal Government to interfere in the choice of leadership of the National Assembly.
According to him, “Some elements within the APC have become jittery and continue to attempt to intimidate, harass and threaten members elect to support their choice of who become leaders of both Chambers.”
Amidst threats of arrests, the PDP’s image maker charged the lawmakers to remain steadfast to safeguard the nation’s democracy.
“The provision of the Standing Rule of both chambers of the NASS which emphasises the need for the legislators to elect their leadership among themselves on the floor.
“This is the critical ingredient of constitutional democracy, independence of the legislature and principle of Separation of Powers.
“Since the PDP made its position known, feelers from public discourse indicated that some elements in the APC have become agitated and resorted to plots to influence the emergence of the leadership of the National Assembly outside the floor,” he said.
The PDP chieftain said that information at the party’s disposal revealed attempt by such APC elements to intimidate, harass and threaten lawmakers-elect with the view to influencing the emergence of the leadership of the National Assembly.
“Reports in the public space indicate plots to arrest individuals who are considered to be strong proponents of the independence of the legislature and the right of members-elect to elect their leadership.”
The PDP noted that the independence of the legislature was a prerequisite for a virile democracy and therefore, insisted that the members-elect in both houses must be allowed to elect their leadership.
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The PDP, while also noting that the National Assembly was the symbol of the sovereignty of the people in a participatory democracy, added that the people exercise such sovereignty through the choices made by their elected representatives on the floor of the National Assembly.
“Fundamental to this sovereignty is the choice of the presiding officers of the National Assembly which must not be appropriated by any group of individuals. Such will amount to a dethronement of the sovereignty of the people,” he said.
The PDP charges the lawmaker-elect to remain steadfast in their resolve and continue to keep in mind that Nigerians expect them to assert their independence in the election of the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
