As campaign for the 10th National Assembly leadership position intensifies, the Delta North senator-elect, Prince Ned Nwoko, has stressed the need for national inclusion given the ethnoreligious imbalance and dissatisfactory results of the just concluded presidential election.
Nwoko made his disposition known during a virtual interview with Arise TV, on Monday.
He described the just concluded presidential election as difficult and unsatisfactory, stressing that the least the House could do to ensure national unity is to make some reconciliatory moves towards parts of Nigeria that have been marginalized, with emphasis on South-East.
In his words, “I would want some kind of a balanced system where every part of Nigeria feels a sense of inclusion.
“We must seek to make some kind of reconciliatory moves, some kind of appeasement of those parts of Nigeria that have been marginalized. Obviously, South-East is one of them. Perhaps the top of the priority should be South-East.
“Any group clamouring for the zoning of the senate president to another part of Nigeria is being insensitive to the need for national unity.”
Responding to the possibility of the ruling party imposing their choice of leadership on the House, Nwoko clearly stated that such will not happen.
“It is a wrong assumption that they could throw things at the 360 members of the House of Reps, and they just accept it that way. It will not happen.
“The mood of the nation is totally different from what has been happening in the preceding years,” he said.
The senator-elect also frowned at aspirants spending suspicious money that is not in tandem with their income to lobby for leadership support. He made it known that he will subscribe to any law that seeks to prohibit unlawful use of money to influence the choice of leadership.
“..They cannot continue as business as usual. We will be looking at credible and focused leadership.
“..There are many capable hands that are experienced, focused and exposed that we should encourage the National Assembly leadership to emerge from.
“…We need a leadership that will think of Nigeria and Nigerians. Put Nigeria first. That is the kind of National Assembly that I want to see.
“We don’t want to have rubber stamp senate. That is not what Nigerians need at this point in time. We need leadership at both upper and lower Chambers that will be able to checkmate the executives and make sure things are done properly for the interest of Nigeria,” Nwoko stated.
Taking a look at his legislative agenda, Nwoko noted that at the national level, the issues of insecurity and economy have been his top priorities and would be given maximum attention.
Bringing attention back to his state, he said “There are issues of some major national roads that need to be done without delay because they are serious hazards to lives of the people.
“There are a lot of outcry in environmental degradation. Talking about the Ndokwa nation. The people there have been abandoned to their fates, with oil companies operating with impunity. All that must stop.”
Opening up on his plans of achieving his legislative agendas without much hindrances, the senator-elect said that, he is open and looking to work with other members of the House despite party differences.
“One thing we have in common is that we are Nigerians. Secondly, we want solutions for Nigerians. Party is just a platform to be where we are currently.
“After all the campaigns and elections, governance must set in and this is where we must show that we are different from those who have been there before.
“We must strive for results that will be seen by Nigerians, not just talking about it but doing it.” Nwoko said.
