NASS Leadership: Coalition Backs Southern Speaker

Ahead of the 10th National Assembly, a coalition of Northern Patriotic Front, South West Professionals, and Arewa Youth Groups have requested that the leadership of the house is zoned to the south.

The chairman of the Northern Patriotic Front, Ali Abacha, who spoke with newsmen in Abuja, on behalf of the Coalition has requested Benjamin Kalu, an Abia-based representative in the House, to give up his desire to become Speaker.

He said the lawmaker should allow himself to be groomed before seeking to become a speaker, adding that equity, justice, and fairness should be applied in choosing the right leader.

“In pursuance of balancing act and preservation of Nigeria’s sanctity, we believe the leadership of the national assembly should be zoned to the south-east, however, in doing so, equity, justice and fairness should be applied,” Abacha said.

“The Holy Bible and Qur’an enjoin that, if a man does not work, he should not eat or a man should not reap where he did not sow. Hon Benjamin Kalu did not sow in APC but rather, he’s an opportunist, who wants to leverage primordial sentiments to pass through the backdoor to the leadership of the National Assembly.

“He must learn from the process that brought Hon Gbajabiamila in. Besides, he should tell Nigerians his role in the presidential election that took place in the South East to warrant the trust of his party’s leadership to entrust such a sensitive position to him.

“In Galatians 6:7, the Bible says, ‘Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows’. In Qur’an, 4:79, Allah says: ‘Whatever good befalls you, it is from Allah; and whatever ill befalls you, it is from yourself’.

“What we have said here is clear, they should bury such ambition and allow experienced lawmakers to run the affairs of the House.”

It would be recalled that Benjamin Kalu, the spokesperson of the House of Representatives had indicated interest in the leadership of the Green Chamber of the National Assembly.

Kalu who represents Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State had said he has the capacity and competence to lead the Green Chamber having served meritoriously as the Spokesman of the 9th Assembly and other positions.

Meanwhile, during his meeting with the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and some National Assembly members over the zoning of the leadership of the incoming 10th National Assembly yesterday, the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu rejected proposals for the Senate Presidency to be zoned to the South-South.

Daily Sun reported that Tinubu said since APC members stood for the zoning of the presidency to the South and not to any of the three zones in the area, which produced him as a presidential candidate and president-elect, it was wrong to propose zoning the post of Senate President to South-South only.