Some members of the House of Representatives, on Sunday, lambasted the All Progressives Congress ( APC) national chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, over his comment on the nomination of principal officers for both chambers of the National Assembly.
The deputy chairman, House Ad-hoc Committee on Media and Publicity, Ikenga Ugochinyere, while speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, said Adamu’s comment was aimed at creating crisis between the executive and legislature.
According to him, the principal officers were elected in accordance with the standing rules of the House, which mandates the majority and minority caucuses to select their leaders from amongst themselves.
Ugochinyere added that before the election of the principal officers, the members of the House, including those from the ruling APC, had consulted widely with their respective political parties.
He said, “if you look at Order 7, Rule of , 4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11 and 12, the House Standing Rules, it is very clear that members of the National Assembly both in the Senate and in House of Representatives shall freely elect or nominate from among themselves the majority leader, deputy majority leader, whip, deputy whip, the minority leader, deputy minority leader, minority whip and deputy minority whip.
“And if you go to order 7 rule 12, it lays emphasis that even to change this leaders, when nominated, that you will require, after due notice to the leadership simple majority among the members to remove them.
“What is the import of this? The power to select, the power to nominate under the 2020 amended standing order of the House of Representatives rests squarely on the members of the different caucuses of the parliament whether majority or minority.
“It is on that note that I want to inform you that the selection of the leadership of the different caucuses of the House of Representatives was done by members of the National Assembly in accordance with the standing order.
“Politically also, consultatoons were extensively carried out by the PDP, LP, NNPP up to the APC. I remember the leadership visited Keffi to meet with the National chairman in furtherance of that consultation to be be able to carry every body along.”
The lawmaker added,
“that is why it was unwelcome to hear the party chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, trying to disrespect the statutory decision of the National assembly. It was unhealthy. It was unacceptable.
“And it is important to understand that prior to the election of the principles officers both at the Senate and the House of Representatives, members of the parliament across political parties met with the president and agreed on a harmonious working relationship that will not jeopardize the independence of the parliament.
“While we agree that the independence of the National assembly will be respected by the president, and lawmakers are goimg to work with n the president in delivering people centered and executive agenda,
“What the national chairman has done is an attempt to sabotage that harmonious working relationship that is aimed at delivering on parliamentary goals. And creating internal rumble and disunity that will not allow us have smooth working relationship. And that is unacceptable. The members of APC should call their chairman to order.”
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