The legislative watch unit of Civil Society Central Coordinating Council has urged Hon. Miriam Odinaka Onuoha not to allow the other members of the aggrieved G-7 aspirants to deceive her in the race for the speaker and deputy speakership of the 10th House of Representatives.
Rather, the CSO appealed to her in the spirit of brotherhood to support her Igbo brother, Benjamin Kalu, saying the Igbos need to be united now more than ever.
Hon. Miriam Odinaka Onuoha, represents Okigwe North/ Onuimo/Isiala Mbano federal constituency of Imo State at the 9th House of Representatives.
Speaking through its lawyer, Barr. Anderson Achilike, at a press conference held in Abuja, the CSO
said Onuoha does not enjoy the support of members-elect from the South East geopolitical zone.
Consequently, the group advised her to throw her weight behind the All Progressives Congress (APC) preferred Speaker and Deputy Speakership candidates, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, and Benjamin Kalu respectively, in the 10th House of Representatives.
According to the CSO, Onuoha’s aspiration for the position of a presiding officer is against the House rules which clearly states that members without requisite legislative experience are not allowed to contest for principal office positions.
The CSO emphasised that Onuoha is “not eligible to contest for speaker or deputy speaker of the 10th assembly haven joined the House not up to 3yrs ago and recently underwent her first induction as a lawmaker few weeks ago with the first timers.”
He urged Onuoha to in the spirit of brotherhood and respect for party supremacy, jettison her ambition and support her brother Kalu.
The CSO recalled “Miriam Odinaka Onuoha won re-election into the federal House of Representatives in 2020. Obinna Onwubuariri of the PDP was declared winner for the 2019 election, but the National Assembly election petition tribunal in Owerri in September 2019, sacked Onwubuariri, and ordered a fresh election for January 2020. She won the tribunal ordered election.
“She has barely spent almost three years in the House of Representatives and she’s aspiring for a principal officer position which is against the House rules. She has not completed a full term and can’t run for any principal position in the House. In terms of experience and competence she can’t be compared to Hon. Benjamin Kalu”.
