As the nation awaits the inauguration of the 8th National Assembly on June 6th, merit and not political expediency will be the yardstick in the election of principal officers of both houses of the National Assembly, Chief Inibehe Okori has declared.
In a statement in Uyo, the APC chieftain said though it is normal for aspirants to lobby their colleagues to be elected as principal officers of the legislature, the party will ensure that the best hands are chosen to pilot the affairs of the National Assembly in a transparent electoral process devoid of tribal, religious, ethnic or sectional sentiment, noting that what is paramount is a crop of principal officers of the legislature that will enhance the effectiveness of the legislature to play it’s pivotal role as the engine room of government in a democratic setting.
“ All through the world where democracy is practiced, the parliament is the hub and engine room of government and the effectiveness and efficiency of the legislative arm of government to a large extent determines the success or failure of the government. I can assure Nigerians that the APC will create an atmosphere where the incoming 8th Assembly will independently choose her principal officers to lead the legislature and help the executive arm of government in initiating, formulating, implementing and evaluating policies and programmes that will bring about the much needed change the country and her people have been yearning for in decades “, he stated.
He however added that all over the world, party supremacy cannot be ignored and therefore admonished all aspirants to accept the decision of the party on whoever the party will endorse for any position. “ Nobody is above the party and party supremacy is the bedrock upon which any political party exerts control , authority and loyalty over it’s elected or appointed officials towards ensuring that the vision and manifesto of the party are implemented for the benefit of the people in line with the campaign promise made to electorate by the party. No legislator was elected as an independent candidate. They all emerged through the party as the springboard upon which they got elected as legislators so any legislator who loves his party must present himself to the party for screening and accept whoever the party will endorse”, he declared. He noted that for the APC to succeed, the party must learn from the mistakes of the outgoing 7th Assembly and the PDP where it’s members went against the decision of the party and that severely damaged the unity, cohesion, and sense of purpose of the party.
Chief Okori explained that the leadership of the 8th Assembly will comprise of men with pedigree, competence, intellectual and administrative acumen, team spirit and a patriotic zeal that will ensure that party affiliation, religious or tribal sentiment are relegated to the background to ensure that what matters is the urgent need to come up with legislations that will bring about the change the people have been clamouring for which has eluded the Nigerian people for decades under the over sixteen years of the PDP government which had brought misery and poverty to millions of Nigerians.
He noted with optimism that the Buhari administration will find in the incoming 8th Assembly, Nigerians of proven track record of experience and accomplishment that will give drive to policy and programmes that will create jobs for the millions of unemployed youths, as well as a legislature that is alive to it’s responsibility by being proactive in her legislative oversight through proper and timely monitoring of Ministries, Departments and Agencies towards blocking leakages that fuels embezzlement of public funds and non compliance to budget parameters that will aid effective and efficient implementation of the country’s annual budgets for the benefit of the common man.
He thanked the people of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial district for the support they gave the APC in the just concluded general election which brought about the change the people wanted and assured his constituents to keep hope alive as the Election Petition Tribunal will ensure that justice is done and the stolen mandate of the people is retrieved.
Chief Okori admonished the people not to see their role as stakeholders in the Nigerian project as having finished with the election but to continue to be partners by not relenting in contributing their quota to nation building and holding the government accountable to it’s campaign promises and assured the people that the Buhari administration will work hard to justify the confidence the Nigerian people have in the incoming administration.
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