NASS Leadership: Allow democratic process to prevail, DWI tells Tinubu

The Democracy Watch Initiative (DWI), wrote President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu to allow the democratic process to prevail as the members of the 10th National Assembly elect their principal officers.

It said Tinubu should recall the incredible promises he made to the North during his electioneering at the Arewa house talk show organized by the Northern leaders and elders.

The National coordinator, DWI, Dr. Sunusi Umar, disclosed this in Abuja, at the press briefing. He said that no one expects the President-elect to give the North what it does not deserve.

He noted that the group had sent a letter to President-elect which aims is to forestall the drift toward greater regional distrust in Nigeria, breach of constitutional democracy, due process of leadership succession through elections and rancour in the 10th National Assembly.

Umar said: “We are of the view therefore, that the current attempt to impose leaders on people of undoubted maturity, and proven experience, elected to represent their various constituencies in the incoming 10th National Assembly, amounts to an encroachment on the sanctity of the legislature, subversion of popular will and a negation of the democratic principle of separation of powers between executive, the legislature and the Judiciary.

“We find it curious that the leadership of the All Progressives Congress, itself a product of democratic election and which subjected its presidential ticket contest to elections, should now be the same party attempting to manipulate the system to one of selection and imposition.

“Having come this far Sir, we feel duty bound to call your attention to be vigilant as to the political opportunists that are bound to swarm around you with the intent of forming another cabal who are behind this scheme aiming to pitch you against your traditional political friends and sections of the country.

“Everyone must be aware by now that those pursuing this undemocratic, unconstitutional and unrealistic agenda are not your friends; they are people who did not vote for you nor in anyway supported your emergence as APC candidate nor your eventual victory at the February polls.

“What they are doing about the National Assembly leadership is to test the ground for a wider political agenda that aims to diminish your personal populist tendencies and those anticipated in your government.”

He further called on President elect to reclaim the people confidence in his untainted democratic credentials and commitment to entrenching sustainable democracy.

Adding that, “We are confident that Your Excellency is endowed with ample experience and diplomatic wherewithal to cope with whatever National Assembly leadership may emerge through due democratic process.

“We repose an enduring faith in your ability and will to change the situation in the country for the better, we pray the Almighty God to increase you in wisdom to be able to accomplish your good intentions for the country.

“We believe a free election of leaders of the National Assembly by its own members would put to end the already brewing concerns of marginalization and fear of domination of other geopolitical zones in the North by others.

“We submit therefore that if North despite the immense contribution it made towards the victory of the APC at the Presidential election at the expense of fellow candidates from the region does not deserve to be rewarded with the position it rightly demands in the National Assembly, there should be no justification to deny the the right to stand election to the same post.”