TheCable

Kawu Sumaila, a former aide to President Muhammadu Buhari and senator-elect for Kano south, says some “desperate” politicians are working to impose their stooges as presiding officers of the national assembly.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Monday, Sumaila, who was elected on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), said the election of presiding officers is purely an internal affair of the national assembly.

The senator-elect said the alleged external influence by the unnamed politicians was a violation of the constitution.

“It is therefore clear that the election of these presiding officers is purely an internal affair that concerns only members of the national assembly and therefore, they should be allowed to decide who among them would occupy the positions in order to avoid repetition of the past mistakes – we may all recall the incidences of the 7th and 8th national assembly,” Sumaila said.

“In my view, external interference in the election of the next presiding officers of the national assembly would not only violate the provisions of the Nigerian constitution and standing orders of both the senate and house of representatives but would also cause serious misunderstandings between the legislative and executive arms of government.

“Available information reveals that some desperate politicians are planning to use undemocratic means to impose lawmakers-elect of their choice to become presiding officers against the wishes of the majority.

“This move is undemocratic, unacceptable and dangerous to our democracy as well as the nation as a whole.”

The senator-elect said he believed that President Bola Tinubu would protect the sanctity of the national assembly.