As the race for the Speakership position of the Green Chamber toughens up, there are many interests from different viewpoints which comprises of Party interest, Regional interest, Personal interest and others to mention. Above all these interests, the interest for a quality representation of the general populace supersedes them all.
On these backdrops, expectations are high of anyone who emerges the Apex Leadership figure of the Statutory Lawmaking Body as the Speaker of the Federal House of Representative.
One of the Speakership contestants, Rt. Hon. Dr. John Dyegh (Speaker for Justice & Fairplay), representing Gboko/Tarka Federal Constituency of Benue State at the Federal House of Representative, in a chat with news personnel made it clear that what drew his interest into the contest were the many questions 2019 threw up, one of the questions like , “why is there so much concentration and interest about South-West, over and above other regions?”
He went on to state that South-West have Deputy Speaker position, they have the House Leader position, they also have the Vice President Federal Republic of Nigeria, and yet the Speakership position for the incoming 9th Assembly has been zoned and Micro-zoned to South-West. And this raises a question that need to be properly addressed.
Analysing the decision of his Party (APC), he faults the zoning process that took away the Senate President position from the North-Central to the North-East, and Speaker which is in the Northeast to the Southwest, instead of bringing it back to the North-Central where the Senate position was taken away from.
He said “I look at that as a mistake, and we are trying to make the Party correct that mistake”.
Nigeria has Six Geopolitical Zones with a Constitution that clearly states equal representation of the Six Zones in Governance. NW has the President of the Nation, NE has been zoned for the Senate President, SW has also sadly been zoned for the Speakership position, leaving NC empty.
And this raises the question, Where is the North-Central in the APC Government? Citing Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which states that;
“the composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its Agencies and the conduct of its Affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the Federal Character of Nigeria and also to command National loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few States or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that Government or in any of its Agencies”.
The Lawmaker reiterated the overwhelming contributions made by North Central region in making APC Federal Government re-election a reality.
He recounted that his Region after Northwest and NorthEast, took the third position, over and above the Southwest that is being loaded with Political offices. Thus saying, “it will be fair if the position of the Speaker is given to the North Central, having taken away the seat of the Senate President to the North East”.
He further dismissed the rumour claiming he plans to step down, he categorically said; “I have not step down, I will not step down and I shall not step down. I have not seen any reason why I should ever step down for anybody outside North-Central”.
He vowed to stand his ground in one voice with his people in the North Central who share same opinion that the party has made a mistake that should be corrected, “I insist, we in the North Central, we insist
Hon. Dyegh said that his decision and that of his people from North Central not to back out of the race is not borne out of disloyalty or disobedient to Party decision, but the party has made a mistake and that needs to be corrected”.
He reiterated his full support and unchangeable loyalty for President Buhari, and by extension his party (APC). While asking that the Party take advantage of the fact that North Central has entered the race for Speakership position and correct the mistake they made in zoning the post to Southwest. This he believes is Justice and Fairplay, and would give the party a common front in securing the Speaker position against other parties.
While acknowledging the importance of each and every one vote coming from the 360 Members in choosing the Speaker of the House. Saying that "the 9th Assembly is one Body, irrespective of party affiliation”, hence the need to canvas for votes across Party-Lines. He made bold to say that "it';s only a foolish man and a stupid man that will go into the race for a Speaker and will not talk to the opposition".
The Custodian in the act of Legislation, initiated for implementation a 7-Point Evidence-Based Legislative Agenda, where he called his Honourable Colleagues to key into the House Project for Harmony, Justice and Fairplay, reminding all that the Project is a Pan-Nigerian Project, not driven by selfish Agenda.
He went further to commend the achievements of the 8th Assembly, pointing out areas of their quick intervention in issues of utmost and urgent National importance.