10th National Assembly Speakership: Jaji Presents 6-point Agenda
One of the aspirants in the race for the 10th House of Representatives Speakership, Rep. Sani Jaji of the All Progressives Congress-Zamfara, has presented a six-point agenda in his quest to become the next Speaker of the House.
Jaji revealed his plan for the 10th House on Thursday during his declaration at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja, pledging to strengthen the legislative process of members, if elected to lead the House From June 5.
He said the issue of appropriation would top his priority, adding that it would be in line with the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF).
He also said the issue of economy, which, according to him, currently poses a lot of challenges would be addressed through legislation that would provide policies that impact significantly on the citizenry.
On the choice of consensus candidacy by the All Progressives Congress (APC), he said:
“The 10th Assembly would not be a House to anoint someone to discharge responsibility. Members would resist an extension of the 9th Assembly.
“The battle to stop any anointed candidate was not borne out of personal interest, but the interest of Nigerians.
“The G-6 would pursue sanity among members, and the interest of Nigeria would be prioritized.”
Also, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Wase, said the G-7 is in solidarity with Jaji to strengthen the House and those who believed in democracy in the country as well as share the belief that power to choose actually resides in the people.
“We need to speak in defence of democracy. We are not fighting; but for one person to own the institution, own Nigeria and push leadership to us without consultation will be resisted.
“I want to believe that the shenanigans done by my brother will not stand the test of time; this group will produce the Speaker. We are going to work for democracy and we shall not succumb to any blackmail,” he said.
Rep. Yusuf Gagdi, while also speaking, said the G-7 would soon begin consultations.
“We are determined to ensure that one of us becomes the Speaker of the 10th House of Reps,” he stressed.
A member-elect, Dickson Takum, from Benue State, who stood in for Rep. Aliyu Betara, an aspirant, said, “choosing the leadership of the National Assembly has nothing to do with the word ‘I’, but ‘We’.”
This, he said was in line with the House rule, which emphasized that “members shall”, and not “I shall”.
According to source, over 30 members-elect were in attendance to show support for the aspiration of Jaji.
NAN/ Amaka E. Nliam
