As the race for who leads the 10th House of Representatives hots up, the Northern Alliance for Democracy (NAD) has raised the alarm over a plot by some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to arrest and prosecute one of the leading aspirants for the speakership of the House of Representatives, representing Biu/Bayo/Shani Federal Constituency of Borno state, Hon Muktar Aliyu Betara.
The group, also alleged that the elements within the APC have concluded arrangements to threaten, intimidate and possibly arrest the former governor of Zamfara State and Senator-elect Abdulaziz Yari, over the leadership of the National Assembly.
The group who stated this in a statement signed by its Chairman and Secretary, Jubril Mohammed and Bala Sarki respectively, attributed the plot against the two National lawmakers to their bold stands against the zoning arrangements of the party on the leadership of the National Assembly.
The NAD alleged that the elements within the party have vowed to petition the Economics and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Department of State Security (DSS), and the Independent and Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), in order to invite and question them on trumped up charges.
The statement read: “This is to bring to the attention of democracy lovers and the generality of Nigerians that some elements in the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are perfecting plans to threaten, intimidate and possibly arrest Aliyu Betara, a leading aspirant for the speakership of the House of Representatives, and Senator-elect AbdulazizYari, a favourite among his colleagues to win the Senate presidency of the 10th National Assembly.
“You all will recall that Betara, Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations of the 9th House of Representatives and Yari, a former governor of Zamfara State are two members of the National Assembly who have boldly stood against the zoning arrangements of the APC for the leadership of the legislature, and have been campaigning vigorously to, respectively, be Speaker of the House of Representatives and Senate President”
They further stated that “We gathered from sources close to the ruling party that some powerful elements in the leadership of the party have vowed to get the Economics and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Department of State Security (DSS), and the Independent and Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), to threaten, intimidate and invite the duo for questioning on trumped up charges with a view to frustrating their aspirations.
“And what is their offence? That the APC allow the members of the National Assembly to elect their leaders in accordance with constitutional provisions. Section 50 (1a&b) granted members of the National Assembly the right to elect their leaders-Senate President and Deputy Senate President, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives- “from among themselves.”
“We note that the quickest way to compromise the independence and integrity of the legislature, and thereby subvert democracy, is this propensity by the ruling parties over the years to select leaders for the National Assembly, rather than allow the members elect their own leaders in accordance with the provisions of the constitution.
The group noted that “We remember that the decision of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under President Olusegun Obasanjo to select leaders of the 4th Senate between 1999 and 2003 degenerated into serial crises that resulted in four senate presidents within four years.
“Under President Goodluck Jonathan, the PDP administration had a problem with the 7th House of Representatives when its selections for Speaker and Deputy Speaker failed to win on the floor.
“And only recently in the 8th Senate, the failed attempt by the APC to impose a senate president caused a crisis of trust and confidence between the 8th National Assembly and the Presidency”
They however, called on “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is a self-acclaimed leader of democrats irrespective of parties, to allow democracy to thrive by stopping those party hawks attempting to use undemocratic means to stop National Assembly members from pursuing their legitimate aspirations.
“We call on Nigerians to be on alert and not allow undemocratic elements to sow the seed of crisis so early in the 10th National Assembly, so the new government is not distracted from delivering on its promises to the people”
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