Ikechukwu Ogba
The Coalition of South Eastern Young Leaders Association ( CSYLA) has urged the stakeholders in the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) to zone the position of the Speaker of the 10th Federal House of Representatives to South East geopolitical zone, arguing that they merited it.
CSYLA in a statement signed by it leader, Dr Ogwo Okechukwu Kalu and issued to newsmen on Friday, added that with a South Easterner as next Speaker of the green chamber, Nigeria will become greater, even as it also stands as a matter of responsibility, all inclusiveness, reward for loyalty to the party and determination to balance power for national cohesion and prosperity.
The Coalition further nominated the Spokesperson of the House and Chairman House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Rep. Benjamin Kalu, as the most qualified to replace Gbajabiamila given to his resilience, capacities, fearlessness and love.
The statement read thud, "That the Leadership of the House of Representatives will be better under Rep. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, the current Spokesperson of the House of Representatives. We are confident that he will build on the landmark achievements of Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila and Rep. Wase, who brought great innovations on better ways of getting things done in the legislature.
"That as the Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Rep. Benjamin Kalu has demonstrated credibility, capacity, commitment, dedication and high sense of responsibility in discharging his duties of managing the image of the House of Representatives. He balanced the narratives and showed the legislature in a good light before Nigerians.
"That having heard there are plans to shift the president of the senate position to other regions because of lower number of votes from the region, the South East should not be left empty handed. That to give the South-easterners the sense of belonging, stimulating a better national unity, the Speakership slot of House of Representatives should be zoned to the South East.
"That we have a candidate in Rep. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, the current Spokesperson of the House of Representatives whom we are confident will exceed expectations with his performance. That this “cat with nine lives “ survived all that was thrown at him to stop him from standing boldly for APC in the South East, with no state Governor to shield him during campaigns and elections since Abia State is under PDP, no god father to project or protect his ambition as many of them divided APC to chose labour and other political parties instead of APC, yet he fought like a wounded lion for APC and won the battle as the only surviving APC house of representative member in the entire Abia state, the other two in the South East had the covering of their state Governors who were APC Governors but Rep. Benjamin Okezie Kalu fought alone and won for APC despite the LP wave in the south east which retired many great politicians.
"That we are all aware of how his unbiased critical analysis from an interview he granted to ABN TV (which went viral) on some contending issues in respect of the Presidential election and its candidates, his unwavering support to the All Progressive Congress (APC) and her Presidential candidate, the President-elect, HE Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu attracted attacks to his life (assassins were sent after him), his political family suffered attacks from different quarters. His Constituency and campaign office was attacked by armed men, over 100 bullets were wasted and properties worth millions of Naira destroyed in an attempt to silence him and his support for the President- elect . He insisted and took the bullets for him and APC.
"That most leaders of the South east except the Governors were indifferent to speaking up on their stand publicly for fear of attack, he was one of the courageous lone voices that did not sit on the fence but boldly declared his support for the President- Elect on all media platforms including his weekly radio program with five radio stations in the East. That he was bold and courageous about his choice and he has been proven right, therefore, he should speak for the entire country now, not as the spokesperson, but as the Speaker of the hallowed chamber of the House of Representatives.
"That as a well rounded, critical thinking, well educated spokesperson who knew and spoke on all issues knowledgeably will manage the House creditably. He made the 9th Assembly look good and reduced the opaqueness surrounding the workings of the legislature. That the All Progressive Congress (APC) should as a matter of responsibility, all inclusiveness, reward for loyalty to the party and determination to balance power for national cohesion and prosperity, zone the position of the House of Representatives' Speaker to the South East.
"That Rep. Benjamin Okezie Kalu is a young leader who is well loved in the South East especially the youths and granting this opportunity to the competent hand of this South Easterner will calm various nerves in the region for in him lies the union of competence, credibility, courage capacity, integrity and loyalty. That he is one of the hopes of leadership from the south eastern block of the country and he is a celebrated non tribalistic nationalist with friends across the lengths and breadth of Nigeria .
" A man who occasionally spends his birthdays in the IDP camps in Northern Nigeria, a man whose employees cuts across all regions in Nigeria both at home and in the office, is the type of leadership the nation needs currently. That members of the 9th assembly who nick named him “the ORACLE “can attest to these and has largely decided to support our call for him to be the next Speaker of the 10th Assembly. That we need Benjamin Okezie Kalu as the Speaker of the 10th Assembly of the House of Representatives."