Want House rules on ranking, experience jettisoned
By Emma Ovuakporie
AS the National leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) dilly-dally on its choice of geo-political zone to produce presiding officers of the in-coming 8th National Assembly, fresh legislators-elect, have introduced another yardstick for determining who their leaders should be.
They want ranking and cognate experience to be jettisoned in choosing those who will preside over the Senate and House of Representatives beginning from June.
Cognate experience
Now, there is a tussle between the North-Central and North-East for the Senate presidency. For the House speakership, the battle is between the North-Central and South-West. Jettisoning rank and cognate experience will widen the contests for the prime slots.
This position dominated the contributions by newly elected members of the House at the ongoing induction certificate course for elected members holding at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.
House of Representatives
The members were reacting to submissions made by the Clerk of the House of Representatives, Barr. Mohammed Omolori, in a paper entitled: ‘’Formation of A New Parliament,” which emphasised the need to respect the concept of considering ranking members of the House for positions of presiding officers and principal officers.
Omolori said the issue of electing presiding officers had been expressly encapsulated in the standing rules of the House where only members with cognate experience were considered for election.
“In 2011, the House was in a dilemma as to whether to go in the way of open or secret ballot going by the need to document every proceedings of the House right from the inception.
“When we looked at what secret ballot was going to produce and weigh the possibility of litigation, we decided we were going to use ballot papers which carry names of those who use them. That was what we did then, and that is what we will do this time around and the contest will be among ranking members as prescribed by the rules”, he said.
One of the newly elected lawmakers who frowned at the concept of ranking was Senator-elect from Kaduna Central, Comrade Shehu Sani who described it as “the tyranny of the experienced against the inexperienced.”
He said the ability to show effectiveness and purposeful leadership does not depend on the number of years one has spent in the parliament neither does it guarantee competence of individual legislator.
Another first-timer in the House of Representatives, Chike John Okafor (APC, Okigwe, Imo State), said as a newly elected member, he would want a situation where lawmakers are considered for key offices on the basis of their competence and ability to deliver instead of tying everything to a certain rule.
“I’m a new member and I can tell you that let that rule be set aside so as not to deny the people quality leadership. Rules are made by men and are also amended by men. I would call for an amendment to that rule that gives preference only to returning members by referring to them as ranking.
Let all of us show what we can do by engaging our colleagues in debate and see who has better ideas and can deliver them for good governance.”
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