Kano Senator Sumaila, lawmakers-elect will select 10th NASS presiding officers, not APC

Suleiman Kawu Sumaila, a senator-elect for the Kano South Senatorial District, has pledged that only elected federal lawmakers will determine who will serve as the Senate and House Presiding Officers during the 10th National Assembly’s inaugural session on June 13.

Sumaila, who was elected on the New Nigeria People’s Party, or NNPP, platform, made the announcement on Monday in Abuja during a press conference.

He protested the previous zoning plan put in place by the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee, which he deemed to be undemocratic.

The representative-elect emphasized that the majority of the federal lawmakers-elect in both chambers will use the appropriate provisions of the 1999 constitution to counteract any outside interference in the election of the leadership of the 10th National Assembly.

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The constitution is clear about how the Senate’s President and Deputy President shall be chosen, he continued. For instance, the selection process for the Senate’s presiding officers is outlined in Chapter 2 of the 9th Standing Orders of the Senate 2022 (as amended).

Similar to this, Section 50(1) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended) states that the Senate’s president and vice president will be chosen by the chamber’s members.

A Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives must be chosen by the members of that House from among themselves, according to section 50(1)b.

We can all remember the events of the 7th and 8th National Assembly, so it is obvious that the election of these Presiding Officers is purely an internal matter that only concerns members of the National Assembly. As a result, they should be allowed to choose who among them would fill the positions.

“In my opinion, outside interference in the selection of the National Assembly’s next presiding officers would not only be a violation of the Nigerian Constitution and the Senate and House of Representatives’ respective standing rules, but it would also lead to serious misunderstandings between the Legislative and Executive Arms of government,” the author said.

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Sumaila claimed that desperate politicians intended to impose their will on both chambers through the use of undemocratic methods, which is against democracy and undemocratic.

Information that is currently available indicates that a few desperate politicians intend to use illegitimate means to force lawmakers-elect of their choosing to serve as 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,” he said.