Nigeria Content Online

Speakers of the 36
State Houses of Assembly in the country have threatened to boycott the
primary elections of their parties if the proposed amendment to the
Electoral Act 2010 to include federal lawmakers in the National
Executive Committee (NEC) of their parties scale through.

The Speakers, who
met in Abuja yesterday under the aegis of the Conference of the State
Legislature (CSSLN), also rejected the exclusion of the members of the
state assemblies as delegates to the conventions of their primaries
where the presidential candidates will be picked.

The CSSLN chairman,
Haruna Istifanus Gbana, who read the communiqué to journalists, said
the bill to make the members of the National Assembly members of NEC of
their respective parties as passed in the House of Representatives last
week, is totally undemocratic, self-serving, and repugnant.

“In the event the
National Assembly goes ahead to pass this Amended Act, the way it is
now, Rt. Hon. Speakers and deputy Speakers will have no choice than not
to participate in the party primaries for the selection of candidates,”
Mr. Gbana said.

The conference also
faulted the exclusion of party executive members from the selection of
candidates during party primaries at all levels.

Be patriotic

It frowned at the
exclusion of members of the state Houses of Assembly as delegates to
their parties’ primaries for selection of presidential candidates of
their parties.

The Speakers asked
the federal legislators to show more patriotism and put the interest of
the nation first in coming up with legislations.