THE QUALITIES OF THE NEXT SPEAKER AND GBAJABIAMILA’S NATIONAL ACCEPTABILITY.

APC will certainly not survive 2023 if the leadership of NASS is not fully recovered and deployed effectively, to push the agenda of the party in the 9th National Assembly.

There is a growing danger and uncertainty in the political setting in Nigeria today. If my suspicion is anything to go by, Nigeria will again be plunged into yet another political quagmire that will continue to hamper the pace of development while rendering governance, to a near impotency.

Nigerian democracy is still very nascent to be allowed to run full throttle under our current constitutional independence.

In a developing democracy like ours, there must be a cordial relationship between the Executive and the Legislative arms for the smooth running of government.

This is where the supremacy of the party comes into play. The party in power must as a matter of policy, be able to instil considerable influence and authority on its members, so as to whip them into carrying out the agenda of the party on the floor of the House and beyond.

In 2015, APC as a party displayed enormous weaknesses and unpreparedness during the leadership tussle and selection process in the politics of the National Assembly. The outsmarting of the candidates of the APC and of course, the power that be in 2015, in both chambers of the NASS, was the greatest albatross that rocked and caged the government from delivering maximally, during the first inning of the Buhari led federal government.

The emergence of Sen. Saraki and Hon. Dogara as President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively, with the support of opposition PDP, incapacitated the President and weakened his government tremendously.

The lack of support and cordiality that existed and still existing, between the Executive and the Saraki/Dogara led Legislature in the last four years, is better imagined.

Having tasted and experienced a non-compliant legislature for four years, the leadership of APC should therefore, be under a compelling pressure to correct this looming danger and backlash of inheriting yet another antagonistic legislative leadership.

The party should move in immediately and consolidate the gains of its massive majority won in the last election, and ensure that preferred members and party loyalists are lobbied into top leadership positions especially the presiding officers. The four flag officers should emerge on the floor of both chambers, with the tacit approval and support of the party leadership and the presidency.

Now that the party has endorsed Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, a super ranking member of the House with an enviable record of legislative competence and experience and strong national acceptability rating, it becomes imperative therefore, that the newly elected and returning members should rally round the ace lawmaker to push the agenda of the party to enviable heights.

Anything short of this, will create yet another lacuna that will drag the government into another fours years of protracted and endless political battle with the lawmakers.

It is therefore, important that newly elected and returning members should be mindful of their party’s interest while exercising their constitutional responsibility on the floor of the House.

May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

STRATEGIC NATIONAL PARTNERS FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE