The Niger Delta Rights Advocates (NDRA) has called on the incoming members of the National Assembly and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to prioritize integrity, loyalty, and hard work in selecting the leadership of the 10th Assembly. In a statement issued by the National Coordinator, Bright Ngolo on Friday, the group urged the citizens and the electorate to join the debate on the strengths and weaknesses of the dramatis personae to enhance better performance and to avoid leaving the choice of leadership solely to the ruling elite.
Ngolo emphasised the moral burden that the nation bears in terms of the South-East’s exclusion from the leadership matrix of the country, adding that the formation of the leadership of the 10th Assembly presents an auspicious opportunity to include the region.
He commended the leadership of the APC for proposing the position of Deputy Speaker to the South-East zone and endorsed the candidacy of Benjamin Kalu, who represents Bende Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, as the best option for the position due to his outstanding track record. According to Ngolo, Kalu has 43 bills to his credit, the highest in the South-East, with three of them already signed into law by the president of the country. He has also moved 22 motions on national issues of importance, the highest in the region.
Furthermore, Ngolo reiterated his support for Kalu because of his unwavering loyalty to the APC, despite the danger he experienced in the zone while campaigning for the party. The NDRA believes that micro-zoning the position of Deputy Speaker to Kalu is a reward for his resilience and consistency in marketing the APC’s ideology and attracting votes for the party.
In conclusion, Ngolo urged the APC and the incoming members of the National Assembly to focus on character, integrity, popularity, and respect for the institution and its members when selecting the 10th NASS leadership to ensure even development across the nation.
