A group within the All Progressives Congress, APC, the Renewed Hope Professionals, has urged the President-Elect, to maintain neutrality in the ongoing race for the leadership of the 10th National Assembly.
Coordinator of the group, Kinu Kabirwa, has expressed concerns at the current moves by Tinubu and his associates to anoint aspirants for key positions in the National Assembly.
Kabirwa stated that since the parliament operates under the dictum of first among equals, any attempt to foist any form of leadership on members may be counterproductive.
The group said that as an advocate for competitive democracy, the President-Elect must not just be neutral but demonstrate an unwavering commitment to provide a level playing field for all contestants.
According to the group the very cornerstone of a healthy democracy is the freedom of choice and the imposition of candidates by those in positions of authority has led to a legitimacy crisis in the country since the return to democracy in 1999.
“The President-Elect must be seen as a committed democrat who respects the doctrine of separation of powers, the very hallmark of the Presidential System of government and a fundamental aspect of most democratic systems. The President-Elect must avoid interfering with the workings of the National Assembly to maintain this balance.
“To ensure that the National Assembly operates independently and free from external influence, the President must remain neutral. The Constitution provides for a system of checks and balances, allowing each branch of government to monitor and regulate the others to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.
“If the President-Elect takes sides in the leadership of the National Assembly, it could compromise the ability of lawmakers to carry out their duties and undermine the system of checks and balances, robbing the incoming administration of legitimacy and the healing that the nation so badly needs.
“To avoid a replay of 2015 which slowed down governance for four years, the President-Elect must tread cautiously for a smooth ride in the incoming administration. The President-Elect must maintain neutrality to ensure the smooth functioning of the new administration, maintain the separation of powers, and uphold the principles of checks and balances in our democracy,” the group said.
