NASS: NILDS cautions against prioritising sentiment above competence

The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) has urged the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) against jettisoning competence for sentiments in zoning the leadership positions in the coming 10th National Assembly.

The director general of the institute, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, stated this yesterday while fielding questions from journalists in his office in Abuja.

He said factors that would promote national integration and development should be considered in zoning the Senate presidency and the speakership.

The DG said since elections had come and gone, issues like votes gathered from one zone to the other in deciding the area that will produce the leaders of the 10th parliament should not be prioritised above those of competence and patriotism of the contenders.

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“Issues being thrown up by contenders in the race for leadership positions and their supporters are a bit worrisome by tending towards divisiveness and not cohesiveness.

“What should be parameters for selecting or electing presiding officers of the 10th National Assembly should be competence, experience on legislative practices and procedures, and commitment to nationhood from the contenders and not those that are purely sentimental.

“Issues that border on national unity should be prioritised far above other ones in the process of selection or election of presiding officers of the 10th National Assembly,” he said.