Reps vow to implement new parliamentary agenda
UIPU, others urge Mali junta to return to barracks
AGAINST the backdrop of concerns raised by some members of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) that the African Group may not be able to produce a qualified candidate for the position of the Secretary General of the world legislative body in the event of the amendment of the laws of the union seeking to make the position rotational, Nigeria’s Senate President David Mark has described the fear as unfounded, pointing out that it is surreptitious way of attempting to exclude the continent.
Speaking during the meeting of the Africa Group shortly before the opening of the 126th Assembly of the Union in Kampala, Uganda, at the weekend, Mark pointedly said it was unfair for anyone to think that the continent cannot provide the right candidate for any job in the world.
Mark stated that Nigeria believes that there should be rotation of the office and fairness in the application of the principle. “We believe that there has to be rotation of that office within IPU and when it comes to rotation, we have to ensure that within the geographical groups, it is also rotated. The argument, which they brought I think is out of place and very unfortunate, is that once there is rotation it would appear that mediocrities would come in. They should know that the immediate president of the IPU is an African and he did incredibly well. So, how can they think like that because the motive is very clear. We all understand where they are going. That if it is rotational, by the time it comes to the African zone, we may produce somebody who can not do it. What they are saying there is complete dictatorship. One man has been there for so long, why should we not rotate?
“We have produced African Secretary General of the United Nations and he did very well. We produced Butrus Butros Ghali, Koffi Annan and they did extremely well,” he said.
“The point is that we must accept rotation and we must also fix a term because where there is no term, people get relaxed. They feel that you cannot do anything and they are just there for eternity and it is not right. If we must practice democracy, we must demonstrate it from the IPU itself, which is a gathering of parliamentarians. To suggest by any means that balancing it through rotation will affect competence is not right and shows that they are targeting some people.”
Addressing the conference yesterday on the topic: “Parliament and People, Bridging the Gap,” Mark said in Nigeria, the parliament which comprises two chambers – Senate and the House of Representatives, has started implementing the programme already by moving away from representative to participatory democracy where all Nigerians are involved in the decision making of the legislature. He urged members of the union to ensure that laws made by their parliaments are people-centred, stressing that it is only such process that could enable their countries deliver dividends of democracy to the people.
He also called for increased participation of women in the administration of member countries of the IPU, noting that the current administration in Nigeria has created enough accommodation for them as part of the fulfillment of the Beijing Declaration.
He condemned the recent military take over in Mali and called on the Union to take steps towards restoring democracy in that country.
Mark, who is the leader of the Nigerian delegation to the conference, expressed the commitment of Nigeria to the ideals of the Union and called on all members to endeavour to fulfill their obligations so that it could remain alive to its responsibilities.
Ugandan President, Yoweri Museveni, while opening the conference, called for transformation, which according to him, is the only way to connect the people and the parliament. “This is the real basis for closing the gap. If there is no socio-economic transformation in our countries, where shall we sustainably get the means of closing the gap,” he asked rhetorically.
The IPU President, Anders Johnson, said the conference would discuss issues such as good governance, redistribution of international wealth and how to secure the future of member countries.
The conference, which ends on April 5, 2012 is being attended by the 160-member countries.
Meanwhile, a coalition of human rights groups in the northern states under the leadership of Mallam Shehu Sani at the weekend in Kaduna, condemned the Mali coup, while urging an immediate return of power to the civil authorities.
Sani, president of Civil Rights Congress (CRC), who spoke at a one-day “Cycling for peace in Northern Nigeria,” appealed to all governments in the sub-region to ensure that they put pressure on the Mali’s junta without the use of force, which may lead to an unpleasant situation in that country.
Besides, he advised President Goodluck Jonathan’s government to return to the dialogue table with Boko Haram.
Sani argued that the military takeover in Mali should serve as a wake-up call to other African leaders who forced themselves into government by subverting the people’s will through election rigging.
“There is no difference between a rigged election and a military regime and most countries in Africa are suffering from this cancer of rigging elections. We are saying that peace is the only way to the unity and stability of our country and our continent as a whole,” he said.
Sani noted that the only antidote to military coup was the enthronement of genuine democracy through credible elections.
