The Northern Elders Forum has issued a caution to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging him to respect the principle of separation of powers and allow the 10th National Assembly members elect their leaders.
According to the forum, the legislature is an independent body, and the presidency must refrain from intervening in their leadership elections.
Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, Director of Publicity and Advocacy for the Northern Elders Forum, expressed these concerns during a news briefing in response to a statement made by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
The Vice President had remarked that the most incompetent Southern Christian is better than the most puritanical Northern Muslim as Senate President.
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Dr. Hakeem criticized the Vice President’s statement, particularly considering that it came from a respected Northern Muslim with a notable political career.
He explained that the forum had repeatedly urged President Tinubu’s administration to uphold the rights and privileges of elected members of the Legislature in selecting their leaders.
“The Northern Elders Forum has cautioned President Tinubu’s administration on multiple occasions to respect the rights and privileges of elected members of the Legislature to choose their leaders and to conduct its campaign for its preferences with sensitivity and decorum.
“The Vice President’s statement, in the context of the administration’s commitment to determining the legislature’s leadership, makes references to Muslim and Christian faiths inappropriately and irresponsibly.
“The suggestion that poor faith and incompetence can be favored over piety and competence when it suits political interests sends damaging signals to a nation desperate for good leadership.
“The Vice President has done himself, and his faith a great injury with his comments, and the Forum hopes that he will find appropriate opportunities to reassure Nigerians that the Tinubu administration will respect the sensitive values that define us as Nigerians.
“The Forum once again advises the Tinubu administration to respect the rights of the legislature to operate as prescribed in the constitution and allow lawmakers a free hand to choose their leaders.
“It is the desperation to determine the leadership of the legislature that is responsible for damaging gaffes such as the one we just heard from our Vice President, and this may not be the last damage that can be caused to our democracy and national cohesion,” he stated.
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