MAKE NASS SACRED AND PURPOSEFUL – AFIL TO LAWAN, GBAJA

A coalition of young Nigerian groups under the aegis of Advocates For integrity in Leadership (AFIL) have called on the senate president, Ahmad LAwan and the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila to work towards ensuring that the National Assembly is sacred and purposeful.

The Group in an open letter to the Senate president and Speaker, lamented the dereliction and decadence of values and ethics in the National Assembly.

The group said it does not bore well on the image of Nigeria that senator Ovie Omo-Agege who was alleged to have invaded the senate during plenary with thugs to steal the Mace was now elected as a Deputy President of the same senate he desecrated 9 months ago.

In the Letter, AFIL also decried the emergence of Femi Gbajabiamila as speaker of the House of Representatives even though he was reported to have been suspended and dis-barred from the Georgia on allegations of fraud.

Read full letter;

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: NIGERIAN YOUTHS CALL FOR INTEGRITY IN THE HALLOWED CHAMBERS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

1. Advocates for Integrity in Leadership (AFIL) is a non-partisan coalition of concerned individuals and rights groups of young Nigerians. This Coalition is birthed out of the expedient and timely need to take a stand henceforth on matters impeding our future as young Nigerians.
2. Since the 4th Republic, beginning from the very first Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Salisu Buhari, who was alleged to have forged his degree certificate, the National Assembly has continued to go through several integrity crises. As young Nigerians, we have witnessed several fights on the floor of the National Assembly, seen legislators climbing fences and several other worrisome occurrences. The climax of this is the recent election of Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege, who was alleged to have been involved in the theft of the Mace of the Nigerian Senate some months ago, as Deputy Senate President. Likewise, the recently elected Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, who was suspended from the Georgia State Bar in the United States of America for co-mingling clients’ funds. As young Nigerians, we say thus far, no further. This is not who we are and this is not the Nigeria we desire. We want the hallowed Chambers of the National Assembly to be sacred and purposeful.
3. Nigeria is becoming a country that is hard to love, unattractive to fight for and difficult to be proud of. It is our sincere belief that many of the elders in this nation have failed us. They have sent wrong value messages to our generation, they have rewarded evil with good and they have set wrong patterns and templates for us. Sadly, they are teaching us that misbehaviour, rascality, and lawlessness are acceptable and yield great reward in Nigeria. The most bothersome part about this is that if our generation, which is the replacement generation, imbibes these values, as is already beginning to happen, there may truly be no hope for Nigeria.
4. All over the world, Nigerians have unfortunately been tagged with the reputation of a lawless, fraudulent and corrupt people. This narrative has been seemingly justified by some indiscretions of some members of the National Assembly. Being the closest to the people in representative democracy, these activities of Members paint Nigerians in bad light, as whatever they do is seen to represent the views and carry the endorsement of their constituents. Such perceptions misrepresent the image and future of the Nigeria we desire, as young people. Thus, we find it necessary to speak up about these issues so that they can be addressed for the sake of our future.
5. As part of our own contribution to nation building and development, this Coalition of young Nigerians is heralding a national value re-orientation movement, titled, ‘I Am Different’. As

young Nigerians, we are saying we are different, we are not fraudulent, we are not lawless, we are not lazy, we are not thieves, we are not corrupt and we want those that represent and lead us to reflect and promote values and ethics that will provide positive role models and inspire confidence in us.

6. We decided to start this advocacy on national value reorientation from the legislative arm of government because it is the torchbearer of our democracy and the bastion of civil rule. This purposeful intervention will however not be limited to the Legislature. We shall take it to the judiciary, the executive and the people. For us, it is a national reawakening to dare to be different from ills that allay us, as a people and nation. It is an individual commitment to say #IamDifferent to achieve a collective responsibility for a nation that truly works. We Nigerians must play our role in nation building, even as we call on our leaders to play theirs.
7. Furthermore, perhaps it has become necessary for us as a nation to commence a conversation on a possible review of the electoral process and criteria for members of the National Assembly so that there is a minimum standard and expectation of integrity for those who represent us in this critical arm of government.
8. May I, at this juncture, thank all those who have identified with this initiative, especially the members of the Coalition, the Press, as well as eminent and patriotic Nigerians who have lent their time and personalities to the commencement of this initiative.
9. Finally, as concerned young Nigerians, we wish to call upon every youth, legislator and individual who is truly different from the negative stereotypes about our nation and people, and who want to see a great Nigeria to kindly join this national value-reorientation movement – #IamDifferent. Nigeria is ours. Nigeria is the only country we have. We are not here by accident. Our destinies are tied to this nation. Our future is determined by the actions and inactions of our present. Therefore, we have a responsibility to stand up for Nigeria. Let us defend her and uphold her honour and glory. So help us, God.