Opposition party charges members on constructive engagement

Opposition party charges members on constructive engagement
Qasim Akinreti, Lagos

The leading opposition party in Nigeria, Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN) has challenged its elected members in the National assembly to be ready for constructive engagement on government policies in the new dispensation.

This advice was given by Lagos state governor, Babatunde Fashola and national leaders of the party in Abuja while setting agenda for its members set for the 7th National assembly session.

Fashola, in his first plea, charged the newly elected national legislators to widen their horizon and arm themselves adequately with information to make informed contributions on the floor of the National Assembly.

He noted that if they speak from an informed position, they would be respected, stressing that one of the issues which should be considered very important by the new House members was regular attendance of the proceedings of Parliament.

 He said that when legislators do not attend parliamentary sessions, they would not be able to contribute.

Governor Fashola said that every member of the National Assembly has a role to play and such a role would help turn out very useful legislation, committee reports and parliamentary sessions.

The Governor said that the successes recorded by Lagos State in the field of security has largely been due to the collaboration it received from the State House of Assembly which passed a law, that which permitted raising funds from the private sector to improve security, and advised that that such should also be replicated at the federal level.

He pledged his readiness to support the setting up of a research centre that would serve in providing data to legislators to keep abreast of developments once the details were worked out.

 Path to greatness

Also speaking, the national leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria and former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu urged the new lawmakers to ensure true and fiscal federalism in Abuja.

He added that they must work towards ensuring a redressing of the present unacceptable revenue allocation formula which gives over 50 percent to the Federal Government.

Asiwaju Tinubu explained that the real people are at the State and Local Government levels, stressing that in the federal principle, it is the States that agreed to cede power to the federal to hold in trust on their behalf because without the states the Federal Government would not exist.

Government of national unity

National Chairman of the ACN, Chief Bisi Akande in his remarks said that in civilized societies, government of national unity is only applicable when a country is at war.

He said: “when a nation is at peace, a vibrant opposition is always allowed to improve democratic gains, stressing that the Action Congress of Nigeria as a party has given its position that it will not participate in any government of national unity at the centre.”

He said any elected person under the platform of the ACN who intends to participate in such must first resign his membership of the ACN and know that he is on his own.

In his contribution, the Minority Whip in the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila said there were four arms of government with the opposition being the fourth arm that is inbuilt to check the excesses of the ruling party at all times.

He urged his colleagues to always prepare themselves to provide alternatives when criticizing policies of the ruling party but not criticize for criticism sake.

The meeting was attended by Governor-elect of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, all elected Senators and National Assembly members on the platform of the ACN and party leaders from across the country.

Williams