An aspirant for the positions of the Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives, Majority Leader, Hon. Alhassan Ado-Doguwa has said that imposition of leadership on the National Assembly without consultation would result in a mere failure.
The Majority Leader, while expressing solidarity for the aspiration of Hon. Muktar Aliyu Betara, described him as “Shock Absorber” in the Green Chamber, averred that whosoever becomes the Speaker in the 10th Assembly needs Hon. Betara’s support to sustain and stabilize throughout his tenure, Tribune reports.
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While reaffirming interest in contesting for the Speakership position, he said: “I think I am under obligation to honour his (Betara’s) invitation because of his humility.
“He is one person that we respect in the House that we always address him as the Shock Absorber.
“The 10th House of Representatives as God may have it, whoever becomes the Speaker, must need Betara around to really hold him tight.
“And it is in the light of that unity and understanding like my colleagues have rightly said that I feel I should join this occasion to fraternize with him to wish all of us well and to let the world know that my contest is not about do or die affair.
“Whoever God gives you, I will be a progressive ally to work with you and I respect you and if God gives to me, every other one will join me to work together.
“But one message I want to put across is that the parliament, in this case, the House of Representatives or by extension the National Assembly is one essential institution that must always be allowed to work out its own business by itself.
“The business of our leadership should be solely our business, not any other person’s business.
“The way and manner members can operate under a platform of first among equal members representing equal constituencies constitutionally must be respected as an Institution and we must be respected collectively.
“In a situation where you have some other people in whatsoever guise or whatever name trying to define or determine how or where or when our leadership or who should form part of leadership from outside without consulting us, I think that should be seen as a mere failure.
“Inclusion in politics is very key and important. I remain very available for consultation and inclusion and only if that is done, then definitely every one will answer his father’s name.
While reflecting on the lingering crisis trailing the imposition of preferred aspirants on the 10th Assembly’s Members-elect, Hon. Sada Soli, the Chairman, House Committee on Water Resources, warned that the trends that are going on now or being speculated will spell doom for the integrity, fraternity, sanctity, inclusivity and the sovereignty of Parliament.
He said: “There is only one principle common in the Parliament that is fraternity. We are here because of our common fraternity.
“Our common fraternity in Parliament is the strongest bond of the Parliament for the Parliamentarians to succeed in their endeavour. Why are we here? We are here to take care of the survival of the Institution of the National Assembly. Why are we here? We are here for the respect for the sanctity of independence of the Parliament. Why are we here? Because we would want to demonstrate the inclusivity of the Parliamentarians.
“Once the Parliament is not inclusive, the country will die, the people will castigate the Parliament because some people are isolated.
“The trends that are going on now or being speculated will spell doom for the integrity, the fraternity, the sanctity, the inclusivity and the sovereignty of Parliament. Why is Sada saying this? Because I’m a creature of the National Assembly. I’ve been in the Institution of the National Assembly from 1992 to date.
“We know, we knew and we suspect what is going to happen. It is not going to be in tandem with the common principles of existence of Parliament. So, we are here supporting our Friend because of our common fraternity.
