Lawyers demand federal character in NASS leadership composition

The National Coordinator of the group, Mr Pelumi Olajengbesi, who spoke on behalf of the lawyers during a media briefing in Abuja, said the offices of the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives should be filled in a manner that serves the interest of the entire nation as opposed to that of a political party. According to him, the NASS leadership positions ought to be filled by the members in a transparent manner without external influences. Olajengbesi said, “The 9th National Assembly must get it right this time and rid itself of external influences capable of derailing its activities on the floor.” He said the coalition had taken a special interest in the election for the position of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, which he said was critical and must be occupied by a man of integrity, content, character and fresh ideas. He said, “It has been our experience that some geo-political zones, such as the MiddleBelt/North Central, South-East and South-South regions are habitually sidelined and less favoured than other sub-zones such as the core North and the South-West Nigeria. While agitating for a level playing field, let it be noted that anything short of a constituted leadership that reflects the federal character is an indication of early failure of the House of Representatives. “Please note that minority geo-political regions are as important as those tagged as the majority. They must be accommodated in all government schemes and given a level playing field at all times.”]]>