3rd May, 2023
By Femi Ogunshola
A non-profit organisation has endorsed Ahmed Wase as Speaker of the 10th National Assembly, claiming that he will breathe new life into the country’s legislative responsibilities.
They attributed this to Wase’s extensive legislative experience as deputy speaker and principal officer in the National Assembly’s lower chamber.
This is according to a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by Mr Mustapha Sani, the National Coordinator of the Friends of Wase.
With the expectations of a new Nigeria, Sani stated that the House of Representatives would require an outstanding personality to steer the ship of the elected members.
‘’We are indeed in an interesting time in the life of the country and no doubt the 2023 elections threw up the challenges that Nigeria requires to join the comity of democratically advanced nations. It has been 23 years of unbroken democratic rule in Nigeria. This is quite a feat in the over 60 years of the chequered history of the country.
‘’We, the Friends of Wase, a non-profit group, have decided to join in the struggle of finding the right person to take up a position of authority in the political sphere of the legislative arm of government.
‘’One challenge the 2023 elections threw at us was the fact of having a united, strong and acceptable person in the scheme of things for the electorate to buy in. The same qualities, no doubt, are required in choosing who becomes the leader of the House of Representatives in 2023,’’ Sani said.
He said that Wase has become a household name in the legislative affairs of the Nation especially since he became the deputy speaker in 2019 with an outstanding number of members voting for him.
Sani said that in a democracy, legislative duties significantly have a direct impact on the citizens in terms of sustainable development that are backed by appropriate legislative laws.
‘’In the nation’s March towards self-sufficiency, true federalism, justice and unity, the right legislations are paramount. Making such landmark legislation is the handiwork of the legislatures. In the coming days, the 10th assembly would be inaugurated to conduct the affairs of the nation.
‘’Just as we stated earlier, the challenges of the 2023 elections showed that Nigeria has to conquer its problems through a concerted, discretionary and deliberate effort to change those imperatives that have impacted our development as a people; especially religion, ethnicity and nepotism.
‘’A competent person like Wase with the right democratic credentials is needed in this journey to a new Nigeria where all barriers must be broken. His state of origin known for its religious ambivalence makes him similar to Mr President who comes from the same religiously tolerant society.
‘’Wase on many occasions has steered the affairs of the house competently in the absence of Mr Femi Gbajabiamila (the speaker) as deputy. His experience will definitely wield together the old and new members-elect coming in under different parties.
He will serve as a bridge in the house in which he has meritoriously served in the last 16 years,’’ Sani said.
NAN