Okorie accused President Buhari and the APC of having violated the constitutional provision on all the appointments they had made since assumption of leadership of the Federal Government on May 29.
The lawmaker noted with particular interest the pronouncements of the APC lawmakers de-emphasizing the federal character principle.
Okorie was worried that particularly, Femi Gbajaibimila whom he said before now acted as an erudite opposition lawmaker and perceived by many as a quintessential respecter of the rule of law and constitutional provisions was leading the crusade to upturn the constitution.
“His (Gbajabimila’s) current personal ambitions cannot justifiably account for such a dramatic somersault that seeks to turn Nigeria’s constitution on its head merely to justify a position which is clearly against the spirit and letter of the constitution,” he said.
Okorie alerted that without any of iota of doubt, the principle of federal character enshrined in the nation’s constitution was now under threat in the current dispensation, recalling that the few appointments already made by President Mohammadu Buhari did not reflect federal character.
He, however, advised that it would be in the best interest of the nation and its constitution if Buhari redressed the error in the course of subsequent appointments.
Okorie faulted Gbajabiamila’s view that the House of Representatives was not an agency of the Federal Government and that its principal officers’ positions were elective and not by appointment.
“Clearly, this cannot be interpreted to exclude the National Assembly principal officers’ positions. All of us, including my respected colleague, Gbajabiamila, have a duty not to encourage or allow the constitution to be desecrated or abused by people who are desperate for power,” Okorie said.
Culled from The sun
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