Some Consensus Candidates Have Corruption Records –  CSOs Kick Against APC’s Zoning 

Some civil society groups have kicked against the choice of a consensus candidate of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) for the leadership of the incoming 10th National Assembly.

Naija News understands that the CSOs have called on members-elect for the 10th National Assembly to assert their legislative independence to avoid a rubber-stamp parliament.

According to the Executive Director, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Musa Rafsanjani the move to impose leadership on the lawmakers by the president-elect, Bola Tinubu and the APC was an attempt to pocket the legislature.

Rafsanjani, told  Daily Trust that  “Some of the people endorsed by the party for leadership have corruption allegations against them; having them as presiding officers in the legislature will neutralise anti-graft fights and will further erode the public image of the parliament.

“What the president-elect and the APC have done is to completely pocket the legislature and make them not only a rubber-stamp parliament but also an extension of the presidency.” 

He, however, said though CISLAC supported equitable zoning of National Assembly leadership seats, it condemned the imposition of individuals on the lawmakers.

On his part,  the Director of Centre for Legislative Engagement, Yiaga Africa, Dr Sam Oguche, said the National Assembly as an independent institution should be allowed to decide its affairs without interference.

Oguche submitted that “We have party supremacy and legislative independence. Now, elections have been concluded and upon inauguration, members become independent; the legislature is independent. By our constitutional framework, the legislators are to elect their leaders, not the party. There is nothing in the constitution that stops a legislator from a minority party from even becoming the president of the Senate; it is the choice of the legislators, not the party.”

Similarly, it was gathered that the Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness told Tinubu and the APC to stop meddling in the leadership matters of the 10th National Assembly.

The leader of the group, Dr. Nwambu Gabriel also faulted the APC for its attempt to impose leaders on the members-elect.

He said “We are saying that interference in the process of electing the speaker, deputy speaker, the Senate president, or the deputy Senate president would amount to usurping the powers that were ab initio meant for the National Assembly.

“An imposition of power will degenerate Nigeria to dictatorial tendencies; it is going to lead to tyranny and oppression and bring to mockery the principles of separation of power.”