A member of the House of Representatives, Joshua Gana (PDP-Niger) says the 10th Assembly will not be a ‘rubber stamp’ legislature for the Executive.
Mr Gana made known in an interview with newsmen on the sideline of the swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday in Abuja.
The lawmaker, who represents Lavun, Mokwa and Edati Federal Constituency of Niger, said Nigerians had elected rich minds to represent them in the parliament and that the members would not throw their integrity into the mud.
Mr Gana said though the leadership of the 10th Assembly was largely influenced by the Executive and the political parties, the members were ready to work for Nigerians.
He said that all the members of the 10th Assembly are committed to the electorate and would commence and go about their assignments, day and night.
“No, it will not be a rubber stamp, the name does not even exist; if you look at the rich crop of people that have been elected, you will know that Nigerians have selected their own leaders.
“We came to select the best out of the best because we are all the best that came to one room, so it is the best among equal that was selected.
“With all our integrity and all we have done over the years we won’t go and throw it away because of one person.
“The house is of 360 minds and the senate is of 109 minds and you think one mind will rule over us because he is the president, no that will not happen.
“He will work closely with us and we will respond to the stimulus with which he wants to lead Nigeria to prosperity,” he said.
The legislator said that there had been a history of the rough relationships between the Executive and the Legislative which had not helped the economy grow.
According to him, now we look forward to a government where both the legislative and executive arms will work together
He said that the national leadership is beginning from the President, Vice President, the Chief of Staff to the President, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, were former legislators.
Mr Gana said that the leadership of the Executive understood the challenges of the legislature saying that it would be easier to work seamlessly together to bring the dividend of democracy.
Also, former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, said that Nigerians expected rapid development from the 10th Assembly.
He said that the country had been moving at a very slow speed in the last eight years and that the population was galloping.
The former minister said that given the lessons learnt in the last 20 years of democracy, the Executive and Legislature should combine to move forward rapidly.
“Move forward with infrastructural development, because there cannot be real development without basic infrastructure of roads and railway to move goods and services.
“Sound agriculture development to food over 200 million, we have the resources, then industrial development, sound education, sound healthcare services.
“So we expect from them cooperation with the Executive so we move forward rapidly into genuin development, people are tired, since Nigeria has given APC another opportunity, let them move this nation forward rapidly.
“We won’t take another excuse, they have learnt enough and I think Nigerians are just so good to have given them again,” he said.
NAN
