From Fred Itua, Abuja
Ahead of primaries of various political parties for senatorial and House of Representatives seats in the 10th National Assembly, a Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria, have called for the reelection of 14 out of the 469 serving federal lawmakers.
The group under the aegis of Coalition of Media and Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria, made the call on Friday at a press briefing held at the Senate wing of the National Assembly.
According to the national coordinator of the group, Mr. Alex Enemanna, advocacy for re-election of the 14 serving federal lawmakers will be taken to their political parties before the conduct of primary elections slated for next month on the basis of right of first refusal as far as party tickets are concerned.
The 14 Federal lawmakers as announced by the coalition are Senators Ali Ndume (APC Borno South) , Orji Uzor Kalu (APC Abia North), Smart Adeyemi (APC Kogi West ), James Manager (PDP Delta South), Enyinnaya Abaribe (PDP Abia South), Abiodun Olujimi (PDP Ekiti South), Sani Musa (APC Niger East ) and Olamilekan Adeola ( APC Lagos West) .
Others are the Deputy Speaker, Hon Idris Wase (APC Plateau State), Hon Ndudi Elumelu (PDP Delta State), Hon Ado Doguwa (APC Kano State), Hon Muktar Betara (APC Borno State) , Hon Nkiru Onyejeocha (APC Abia State ) and Hon Sergius Ogun (PDP Edo State) .
He explained that the advocacy was being done to avoid legislative brain drain, since the 14 lawmakers performed creditably well as far as legislative activism and development -driven legislations are concerned. When asked to explain how the 14 lawmakers were adjudged to be the best out of 469 federal lawmakers, the National Coordinator of the group said their findings were based on three months intensive and thorough research carried out across the 109 Senatorial Districts and 360 federal constituencies.