From leading opposition parties in the country came hard knocks on the National Assembly members and President Goodluck Jonathan over the ongoing process in the two chambers to pass a bill making the Federal Lawmakers automatic members of the National Executive Council (NEC) of their respective parties.

Labour Party (LP), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) were unanimous in the condemnation of the move which they suspected was motivated by the President’s desire to clinch the ticket of his party by any possible means.

Indeed, CPC, while expressing its displeasure said the move, which amounted to a desperation by the President, was one that would not do the nation’s nascent democracy any good and which should be kicked against by all lovers of democracy. A bill making all the federal legislators automatic members of their parties’ NEC had just scaled through the second reading in both the Senate and House of Representatives.

National Chairman of Labour Party, Chief Dan Nwayanwu, his ANPP counterpart, Ogbonnaya Onu and the National Publicity Sectretary of CPC urged Nigerians to prevail on the National Assembly members from making laws that might undermine democracy and send Nigeria back to square one. The LP boss argued that on what basis would National Assembly members be automatic NEC members of their parties when there were rules guiding who becomes members in the parties’ constitutions. “This is another attempt at weakening internal democracy within the parties because when you now have overwhelming majority of lawmakers as NEC members, it means for every decision, they will be having their ways no matter how retrogressive their position is.

“We know someone is teleguiding them but it will be in the interest of all if they can stop this.” The All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) has expressed displeasure over attempts by the legislative house to amend some sections of the Electoral Act 2010. Dr. Onu, in his own comment said it was worrisome that the National Assembly should not be the one that would engage in actions that undermined democracy.

A statement signed by him noted: “The process of law making is a serious patriotic responsibility. It is not proper for unelected people to nominate our representatives whether in the executive or legislative arms of government. Democracy will suffer tremendously if those who should represent us are nominees of people who themselves were appointed into office and were never elected by the people.The people so nominated, can hardly serve the best interest of majority of Nigerians.

“We enjoin both the leaders and members of the National Assembly to put aside their personal interest and rise in defense of fashioning an enduring Electoral Act that will deepen the base of our democratic practice and broaden the reach of our electoral process.”

While advising them to think more of the future political stability of the country, Onu said, “indeed, they should always remember that whereas individuals come and go, Nigeria will remain. Specifically, we enjoin members of our great party in the National Assembly to remain resolute in their determination to ensuring that only the collective will of the Nigerian people will matter as it should be in the processes pursuant to the enactment of the Electoral Act 2010.”

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/nov/15/national-15-11-2010-001.htm