CNPP alleges APC moves to foist another rubber stamp principal officers on NASS

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

Conference Of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has alleged an “attempts being made by interested parties loyal to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to ensure the inauguration of another National Assembly with rubber stamp principal officers loyal to the executive.
This, it cautioned, will be very dangerous for the survival of Nigerian democracy”, insisting that “Nigerians may not be able to endure another four years of Executive-Legislative connivance against the interests and well-being of the masses.”
This was contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by CNPP’s Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu.
CNPP noted that “the handwriting can be clearly seen everywhere on the walls by discerning minds and we have uncovered the unholy plot. Hence all democratic forces should be on alert.”
According to the CNPP, “the basic elements of democracy, like the principles of separation of powers and oversights, will be further jeopardized in an event that such selfish and undemocratic clandestine moves towards foisting another rubber stamp legislative arm of government on the people succeed.”
Giving insights into why governments at all levels have been unable to meet the expectations of the people, the CNPP maintained that “no society can make reasonable progress where the legislature and the judiciary pander to the whims and caprices of the executive arm of government.
“This has been the primary reason for the failure of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to keep its campaign promises, particularly resulting to the woeful failure the Federal Government to meet the primary duty of any government, which is to ensure security and welfare of the people.
“As a matter of fact, mutual respect for the principles of separation of powers and checks and balances among the arms of government is the basic foundation for good governance.
“But since 1999, healthy system of checks and balances have not been fully upheld in the interest of the Nigerian people.
“For the incoming administration to meet its basic duty of ensuring the security and welfare of the people, each branch of government should be allowed to exercise its powers of oversight because the relevance of separation of powers and its implications for good governance cannot be overemphasised.
“Therefore, it will be in the best interest of the incoming administration to prioritise meeting the very many expectations of the people by upholding the doctrine of separation of powers and checks and
balances as well as promoting inclusiveness, especially in compositions of the incoming cabinet.”