South East should be considered for Reps Speakership 40 years after – Kalu

Benjamin Okezie Kalu representing Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State is the spokesman of the 9th House of Representatives. Kalu, who is among those in the race for the 10th House of Representatives speakership, in this interview speaks on why the South East region should be considered for the next Speaker; the kind of speaker Nigerians should expect in the next assembly and other interesting legislative matters. Excerpts:

The race for the Speakership of the next Assembly is gathering momentum; are you interested in joining the race or what’s your position?

The question as to whether I have the intention to contest is yes, I’m interested in that position. I am interested in running for the position of the Speaker of the 10th Assembly. And they are reasons that have motivated my interest, and I’m sure in the course of this engagement, I will be able to address some of these reasons why Benjamin Okezie Kalu should be up there to lead the House to prosperity and progress; to lead the nation to unity and peace come the 10th Assembly that is starting in June. So, yes, I’m interested in becoming the next Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Are you not worried that your kinsman in the Senate, Orji Uzor Kalu, from same Abia State as yourself is also seeking the Senate presidency at the Upper Legislative Chamber; don’t you think this will affect you aspiration in anyway?

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The legislature we have in Nigeria is bicameral based; we have the House of Representatives; we have the Senate; the question is: is he (Uzor Kalu) qualified for the office he is aspiring to occupy? The answer is yes. And is Benjamin Okezie Kalu qualified? The answer is also yes. Your question as to whether there is going to be a conflict between what is happening in the House of Representatives and what’s happening in the Senate, definitely, I don’t think there’s going to be any conflict, reason being that he (Uzor Kalu) is fully qualified to contest for the office of the Senate President just like I am fully qualified by the House Rule to run for the Speakership of the 10th Assembly. My people usually say a good hunter usually goes hunting with more than one arrow or spear so that if he misses the target with one, definitely, he will make use of the second to get the target. And if the question is whether I’m qualified to run for this position, I don’t think my qualification or aspiration will impede his own aspiration neither do I think his, will impede on mine, reason being that we are both competent to lead the legislature.

There has been clamour for leadership of the next National Assembly to be zoned to the South East; what is your take?

The zone I come from should be interested in the Speakership of the House because 40 years after, the South Eastern region has not occupied that position. The last time the position was occupied by someone from the South Eastern region was during the reign of Rt. Honourable Edwin Umezeoke; that was 1979 to 1983. 1983 to date, we are talking about 40 years of the people from the South Eastern region not sitting on that seat. We know we will do well when we occupy that position because of what we are thinking of bringing on board, that will strengthen our democracy, knowing this is the fulcrum of our democracy.

You are of the ruling All Progressives Congress but minority parties including those from the South Eastern region are forming their alliances ahead of the Speakership race; don’t you think this will affect your chances in any way?

I think what Nigerians are looking for is who will do this job well. It is not just the 360 members who will cast the votes; those 360 people are holding the mandate of 250 million people; so, whatever you will see happen that day is a reflection of the desires of Nigerians. The question should be: what is it that Nigerians are looking for at the moment? It is not just about an isolated case of regional interest. I can assure you that one of the things that Nigerians are looking for at the moment is, how to bridge the gaps with this diversity insensitivity to increase our cohesion and to increase our national loyalty. If we pretend that we don’t know that every day, the diversity insensitivity is extending, then, we will be living a lie. The question is: how do we help Nigeria achieve this cohesion, this national unity; this inclusiveness; the politics that will bring everybody together for the purpose of achieving prosperity for the nation? Giving a sense of belonging to every geopolitical zone is one of the tools to be used to achieve that. If the South Easterners are saying granted that we are not able to get the president; granted that we are not able to get the vice president; we are not conceding that we are not competent enough to be able to lead the legislative arm; give us the legislative arm, we will do good to the Federal Republic of Nigeria with regards to bringing everybody on board and pushing the nation forward. But beyond looking at region; what Nigerians are asking from the legislature is who is that Speaker that will come on board and sustain Speaker’s impartiality?

So, what kind of Speaker do you envisage for the 10th House of Representatives?

A person that will not be sentimental with the gavel. A person that will not be moved emotionally by the gavel; lured by the beliefs in religion or your language, your tongue or your tribe; that is what Nigerians need. Nigerians needs an impartial Speaker who will continue with the impartiality introduce by the current Speaker. Nigerians are looking for a legislature that will be led by a Speaker who will understand that though we are of different tongues, but it’s not an impediment. I believe that Nigerians are looking for a Speaker who will increase what I call parliamentary sovereignty.  Nigerians I believe are looking for a Speaker who will create an institutional trust. Institutional trust is key in the minds of Nigerians. We will be coming to sustain what these builders have been able to build over time. I also think that Nigerians are looking at how to get a Speaker that will balance the various inequalities especially as it concerns participatory inequality during plenary; I say so because the voice of the constituency heard during plenary is a problem half solved. If the voices of members are heard equally in the House, the problem of the constituents will also be attended to. And also, Nigerians are interested in a Speaker that will try and sustain this non exclusionary, non discriminatory parliamentary infrastructure policy where certain persons are allowed to enjoy parliamentary infrastructure which does not augur well with others who believe we are not standing on equal footings. We are looking for a person that is gender sensitive, who will bridge gender inequalities. You will agree with me that the participation of our women folk in our parliament is not as robust as it should be. Nigerians are looking at those who will come on board and look at ways to increase that participation.

We need laws around education, economic growth, insecurity, environmental issues, healthcare sustainability; these are things that the Speaker that is coming on board should be able to deliver. And I know that Benjamin Okezie Kalu has been equipped to represent 359 other members as the image maker of the House of Representatives for four years and that was no mean fit. We have discharged our responsibility creditably well, making sure that the image of the National Assembly was not lower than we met it. We have tried out best to ensure that both at the Constituency and membership level, the relationship among members, relationship within the arms of government and the vertical relationship with the executive is sustained. I’m qualified, I’m ready to lead. Beyond the sentiment of region, I have the credibility, capacity and competence to mount on the position and give Nigerians a fresh blood in leadership. Remember, the demography between the young and old also benefits Benjamin Okezie Kalu. I am in between the young order and the old order and it takes a man in my position to be able to take the youths along. The youths need to see the face of fellow young people. If we have made a law, not too young run, this is the time to practicalise it.

How far have you gone in your consultations?

Let me start by saying that the issue of reaching out to members, we have been doing that. Remember, members are the ones who are going to cast these votes at the end of the day. We need to have members buy-in to our capacity and competence to lead. And then, we meet their governors and other stakeholders. It is not good for the leaders at home to impose leader that will lead us in parliament without the people here having the knowledge of who is coming to lead them. We have prioritised the members that will cast the votes, the new members are more in number. We are reaching out to them; we have had a couple of meetings which is looking positive. The energy of the new people coming in is that energy that says we want to see freshness in governance and that is what I’m bringing on board.