Ahead of the inauguration of the Ninth National Assembly next month, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said its lawmakers are ’eminently qualified’ to contest for Presiding Officers’ positions in both chambers of the incoming Assembly.
The main opposition cited Section 50 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to buttress its submission.
The party was responding to some media reports suggesting that its members-elect in the House of Representatives had settled for a particular aspirant as the new Speaker.
Already, the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) had endorsed Ahmad Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila as Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively.
In a statement on Sunday by PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbodiyan, the party however explained that it is yet to take any official position on who to lend support for the position of Presiding Officers of both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
“The PDP is still consulting with its members-elect and no official position has been taken on the issue, particularly as the positions of presiding officers are not exclusive preserve of the ruling party or any other party for that matter, but a constitutional right of every elected lawmaker in their respective chambers.
“Moreover, the PDP has an array of elected lawmakers, in both chambers, who are eminently qualified and equally popular among their colleagues across the divide, to hold office as presiding officers of both chambers of the National Assembly, in line with Section 50 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“What is important to Nigerians is the emergence of a purposeful leadership that will ensure accountability and good governance in the polity.
“The PDP, as a party committed to the wellbeing of our nation, will remain focused in our determination to rescue our nation from incompetent system and therefore urges Nigerians to discountenance such reports suggesting that our lawmakers have settled for a particular aspirant for any presiding office in the National Assembly,” the statement reads.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
