16th January, 2014
Speakers of State Houses of Assembly in Nigeria, under the umbrella of the Progressive Speakers’ Conference, PSC, have asked Nigerians to save the country’s democracy from being truncated by the Peoples Democratic Party-led government at the national level.
In recent times, Nigerians have witnessed series of crises and controversies from the PDP as well as issues of alleged maladministration and actions considered as threat to democracy by President Goodluck Jonathan.
The Speakers in all the APC controlled states of the federation, including those that recently defected from the PDP to the APC, warned that democracy, as practised in Nigeria, was being threatened and that it must be rescued by the people.
They cited a few of such circumstances including the current political battle between President Jonathan, his wife and some governors in the country like Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State as enough threat to the country’s democracy.
In a communiqué the Speakers issued at the end of their inaugural meeting in Lagos State, western Nigeria, they called on all Nigerians, particularly the progressives, to be vigilant and be ready to protect and defend our nascent democracy.
“The conference notes with dismay and grave concern the growing impunity, brazen abuse of power and desecration of democratic principles, norms and values by the Federal Government and its agencies.”
The communique, signed by the Speakers of Lagos, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, and Ekiti, Omirin Adewale, respectively, condemned the Federal Government over what they called the deplorable state of the nation and the current insecurity across the nation.
As a matter of urgency, the Speakers implored the Federal Government to address this situation with all the seriousness it deserves.
“The conference condemns in strong terms the arrest of the Speaker and Principal Officers of the Kano State House of Assembly for carrying out their constitutional legislative duties.
“The conference condemns in strong terms the way and manner in which the former Speaker of Kaduna State House of Assembly was removed from office and in the same vein strongly urge all parliamentarians to act at all times according to constitutional provisions.”
The Speakers commended the Kano State House of Assembly and the Rivers state government for being courageous in the face of harassment and intimidation by agents of the federal authorities.
Also, the conference commends the Speaker and the 22 members of Rivers State House of Assembly for insisting on their constitutional mandate and carrying out their legislative responsibilities in the face of grave dangers to their lives and liberty.
The conference aims to further strengthen the APC-controlled states in terms of effective legislation and ideas for development.
—Eromosele Ebhomele
