Many pro-democracy civil society groups in Nigeria have rejected the All Progressives Congress’ purported zoning of principal offices for the 10th National Assembly.
The groups said the choice of Godswill Akpabio and Tajudeen Abbas for Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives is against the principle of democracy.
The CSOs made their displeasure known at a press conference in Abuja.
Speaking on behalf of the groups, Hon. Dauda Yakubu, said: “We were shocked to read reports that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has come up with a zoning template and even went further to rub salt on injury by attaching names to the positions of principal officers – Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Speaker, Deputy Speaker and all other offices of the National Assembly.
“It is on record that the APC kicked against such an arrangement in the past, describing it as a hijack of democracy.
“It is therefore ironic that the persons in APC who rejected the imposition of leadership on the National Assembly are either ominously quiet now or are the ones undermining our democratic tenets.
“The imposition of leaders is nothing but a coronation of some individuals who would not necessarily earn the acceptance of their colleagues, which implies that they also will not enjoy the acceptance of the constituents of their colleagues.”
The CSOs, therefore, urged “men of good conscience within the APC and conscientious Nigerians including those in the opposition to rise in defence of Nigeria’s democracy.”
The statement further reads: “They should come out and add their voices to the demand that the members and senators-elect should be allowed the independence granted by the principles of separation of power to decide on the leadership of the 10th National Assembly.
The CSOs vowed to embark on mass protests should the ruling party uphold its coronation of leaders for the National Assembly.
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