MOVE FROM PRINCIPLES TO PERFORMANCE

IHRHL URGE SPEAKER AMINU TAMBUWAL LED HOUSE TO MOVE FROM PRINCIPLES TO PERFORMANCE

IHRHL Press Release

7 June 2011

The lawless patronage blighted Nigeria’s House of Representatives, best known following its history in the last 11 years as ‘House of Corruption’ turned a new leaf June 6, 2011, when it insisted and actualised the protection of their mandate by voting and electing the leadership of the 7th Session of the  House of Representatives of the Federal Republic, inspite of the now outdated tactics of godfatherism, instrumentalized through avid intimidation adopted by the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and the Presidency.

The Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law(IHRHL), welcomes this substantive departure from the rule of the zoo of tyranny, in furtherance of the franchise of the  population who genuinely voted during the last elections, and expected effective representation of  their constituencies and peoples. The insistance and courage displayed by the Members who duly elected their leadership, is a clear indication that they now appreciate better the powers flowing from the genuine votes they received, and the understanding that the powers vested upon them by such votes is far more valid than the unfounded powers under law and morals of their dwindling godfathers.

IHRHL, therefore wishes to congratulate the Speaker Aminu Tambuwal led House of Representatives, and urge them to take their winning strength forward on behalf of the entire population of Nigeria, by contributing to make democracy work in real terms by moving from Principles to Performance. Nigerians expect the new leadership to deliberately engage in strengthening the insulting institutional standing of the House, fight corruption, reduce poverty, social inequality and assure security of life and property, through their law making and oversight roles. Speaker Tambuwal and his colleagues must realize that this is an opportunity to make change.

 IHRHL calls on Presidential Advisers on the National Assembly to return to their policy advocacy design tables with a view to improving on their advocacy or lobbying skills for future engagement with the National Assembly hence, because they failed woefully in their roles of guiding Mr. President aright this time. Their resort to old base  tactics of intimidation, to coerce members into line is neither Presidential nor democratic and is at variance with the rule of  law. The fact that they could not see the noticeable change resulting from the Prof. Jega Revolution in Nigeria, to the effect that those who perceive themselves for the first time of having won a genuine elections, would rely more on the mandate of their electorates, rather than the party or godfathers in their future policy decisions and or alignments, is a huge misjudgement of the Nigerian democratic terrain presently.

IHRHL, finally calls on the Presidency and the Peoples Democratic Party to see what just transpired at the House of Representatives as most transformational in character and in the best interest of the democratic public, therefore, must not be seen to thwart what they could not gain through the ballot box, via the backdoor. They should rather encourage the new independence of that organ of government, or face the wrought of the democratic population.

Signed:

Anyakwee Nsirimovu

Executive Director