The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) recently revealed that its elected senators and members of the House of Representatives can seek election into an office of both chambers of the National Assembly irrespective of their number.
PDP said the position of the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives as well as the Deputy Senate President and the Deputy Speaker were not solely the right of a party with the highest numbers of members in the two chambers.
They explained that the positions of presiding officers are mainly constitutional rights of all lawmakers in both chambers.
PDP said, “For emphasis, Section 50 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) is clear in providing that “There shall be:- (a) a President and a Deputy President of the Senate, who shall be elected by the members of that House from among themselves; and (b) a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, who shall be elected by the members of that House from among themselves”.
“Also Section 92 (1) makes the same provision for the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of State House of Assembly.
“The PDP, therefore, does not only have a constitutional say in the process of the emergence of the leadership of the 9th National Assembly, but will, as a matter of constitutional right, field candidates into presiding offices of both chambers, if need be.”
“In fact, the former Minority Leader of the House, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, echoed the constitutional provision that `the constitution requires only that the Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives shall be elected by members of that House from among themselves’”.
“Moreover, in June 2015, Hon. Terkimbi Ikyange and Hon. Peter Azi, both of APC, were elected Speakers of Benue and Plateau State Houses of Assembly respectively, though their party, the APC, was minority in both Houses.”
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