10th NASS: Rights Group Kicks Against Zoning, Tips Abbas As Preferred Choice For Speaker

ABUJA – A group under the auspices of Niger Delta Rights Advocates (NDRA), has kicked against the zoning formula for the leadership of the House of Representatives in the 10th National Assembly, tipping Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, member representing Zaria federal constituency as a better candidate to serve as Speaker.

Deflating the zoning principle, it cautioned stakeholders in the National Assembly not to fall for the age-long debate of zoning, religion, class, or age, describing it as sentiments and gimmicks crafted by political oppressors.

In a statement signed by Bright Ngolo on Monday, on behalf of the Group, noted that in the democratic equation of the National Assembly, there needs to be a balance between legislative activism and achieving results.

Ngolo described Abbas as a candidate that comes with the right legislative coherence, intelligence and activism.

The group noted that its stand on merit, service, patriotic zeal, transparency and loyalty to the Nigerian project aligns squarely with that of Tajudeen Abbas, hence the reasons why they are throwing their weight behind him.

“We are emboldened to set a clear agenda for the leadership that we wish for Nigerians, which must be built on transparency, accountability, trust, intelligence and above all youthfulness

“We can not talk about the leadership of the most important arm of the National Assembly, which aggregates the totality of our diversities as a people, without talking about getting a leadership that will prioritize the needs of the long-suffering and marginalized people whether they are found in the Niger Delta or Benue or Kafanchan or Kaura Namode. Our interest is to project Nigeria with priority for setting a legislative framework that will banish poverty.

“We are not unaware of the diversities in interests and the aspirations of other candidates for the Speakership of the House of Representatives, but we cannot fall for cheap, pedestrian and jaundiced theories on the arguments of zoning of positions.

“These emotional arguments have indeed succeeded in eroding the key argument of the capacity and competence of these aspirants,” Ngolo noted in a statement made available to DAILY INDEPENDENT.