A civil society organization, the Concerned Citizens Forum of Nigeria, (CCFN) has appealed to the United States of America to intervene in the succession battle to elect the 10^th Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The group in a letter to the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, accused the incumbent Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila of usurping the democratic rights of other elected representatives.

They described the action of the Gbajabiamila as a threat to Nigeria’s democracy.

In the letter dated 18^th May 2023 and signed by Dauda Yakubu and Ndubuisi Nwogu, Convener and Secretary, respectively, the CSO warned of the impending consequences of imposing a successor on members of the House.

The group said it was compelled to bring to the notice of the US government, the plot by Gbajabiamila to subvert the democratic rights of members of the House of Representatives to elect leaders of their choice for the 10^th National Assembly.

“The plot by Rt. Hon Femi Gbajabiamila is undemocratic and a threat to our nascent democracy hence this letter to inform the United States of America and, by extension, the world of what is happening in the House of Representatives in Nigeria.

“The Ambassador may wish to know that the Speaker has repeatedly refused to reconvene the House of Representatives to deliberate on the processes for electing principal officers.

“We have it on good authority that the Speaker orchestrated this plot in an attempt to leave members of the House of Representatives in limbo until the 9^th Assembly wounds down and leaves no room for deliberations on the House rules.

“The action by the Speaker is dictatorial and against the tenets of democracy, which was gathered from reliable sources that the overachieving plot is to install his stooge as the Speaker of the House of Representatives so he can influence the leadership of the House of Representatives to do his bidding on issues of national concerns for selfish reasons.

“Our peace at the moment is extremely fragile. One would expect someone as highly placed as the Speaker to tread cautiously, the group said. However, from all indications, the group posited that Gbajabiamila is out to hijack the democratic rights of others who have been duly elected by their constituents.

“The actions of the Speaker are an anomaly and an invitation for chaos, which might spell doom for our nascent democracy.

“This is on the heels that the Speaker has fictitiously edited the House Standing Rules to reduce.

The rights of members of the House of Representatives to exercise their rights as duly elected representatives of their constituencies.

“Dear Ambassador, you will agree that the Speaker’s action is antidemocratic and indicates that all is not well in the House of Representatives. It is our considered opinion that in a democracy, the people are at liberty to make choices that advance the national interest and not selfish interests.

“If the Speaker of the House of Representatives can act this way, democracy is under threat. And suppose urgent steps are not taken to address the situation. In that case, we might be heading for a breakdown of law and order with the potential to truncate democracy in Nigeria.”

The group Insisted that members of the House of Representatives must be allowed to exercise their democratic rights without fear or favor, given that they were elected through the ballot to represent their constituencies.

“Dear Ambassador, tension is building in the House of Representatives with the undemocratic actions of the Speaker.

“We believe this anomaly should be addressed in good time to save the country untold embarrassment and deviation from the ideals of democracy, the group submitted. (Daily Independent)

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