Former Lawmaker Urges 9th Assembly Members To Resist Manipulation

As Nigerians prepare for the election of leaders of 9th National
Assembly, a former member of the Federal House of Representatives
in the 7th Assembly has called on the current members to reject
every attempt by outsiders to influence, coerce or manipulate them
to do their bidding in the selection or election of their
leaders.

Mohammed Shamsidin Ango Abdullahi who represented Birnin
Gwari/Giwa Federal Constituency during the 7th Assembly reiterated
that “the National Assembly is a constitutional arm of government
in the Democratic presidential system of government we operate in
Nigeria”.

Speaking with Independent, Hon. Shamsidin noted that “The House
rule guides members of the National Assembly in the conduct of its
affairs”.

According to him, “The people have voted members to represent
them in the National Assembly and as such, their representation
must reflect the will of the people they represent”.

Members must not be coerced, manipulated or enticed to support
so called leaders from outside the National Assembly who have no
vote in the election of leaders of the House of
Representatives.

“The Chambers of the National Assembly does not have a party,
members even though elected on their respective parties but elected
representatives to do the bidding of the people of Nigeria”.

“I call on these elected members to do the needful by shunning
the interest of the so called party leaders, governors who all
claim that they are acting on behalf of the president and act whole
heartedly with the conscious of Allah to select leaders who will
truly represent the people at the national level without fear or
favour and ensure development in all sphere of economic social and
political life”, he stated.

Also speaking on his expectations from Mr. President in his
second term, the former Reps member said he cannot speak for the
president or his party.

According to him, “I believe Nigerians have their say as I am
PDP and I voted for Atiku and I pray Allah In His Infinite Mercy
will give us back our mandate in the court, Insha Allah”.

Shamsidin said it is very unfortunate democracy is becoming less
and less about the people in the government of APC.

While commenting on the security situation in the country, the
former legislator posited that the insecurity we face in the
country is man-made.

According to him; “To the best of my knowledge, the insecurity
we face in Nigeria is man-made. It is a by-product of injustice and
lack of economic and social planning”.

“The human development of the people of Nigeria has been
deteriorating with the coming of the 4th democratic republic in
Nigeria. The constitution needs to be amended to resolve quite a
number of issues to move Nigeria forward. These amendments must be
seen to have a sense of total inclusion of the people of Nigeria
that will promote healthy competition”.

Commenting on the call for restructuring, the former member said
issues like local government reforms both financial and political,
must be addressed to ensure people in the local governments benefit
from the resources of excess crude account, federation account, the
state itself and the ecological funds.

“Section 7: 162,197 will always support the interest of the
governors and favour, say ill willed governors who take away from
the people, resources meant for their medical, educational,
agricultural and infrastructural development in the local
areas”.

“The FIU cannot oversight the resources of the local government
councils because the FIU is not constitutionally mandated to do
that and just like the former Governor of Zamfara said, it’s
unconstitutional for the FIU to do so, even with the presumed good
intent of the FIU”.

“Leadership is key in national development and using the Great
Men Theory of Thomas Carlyle, it is evident that our leaders of
today, unlike the founding fathers of Nigeria, lack honesty,
integrity, commitment and will, with the honest spirituality to
really move Nigeria forward in spite of the ethnic, religious,
economic and social differences retrogressing the built up of our
founding fathers”, he stated.

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