House Of Reps In Support Of Any Peace Move In The Interest Of Nigerians – Tambuwal

As debate intesifies over Boko Haram’s latest conditional cease fire offer to the Federal Government, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Tambuwal, has lent his voice to the growing discussion – and he is in support of dialogue as a way out of the intractable crisis. Tambuwal gave this indication when he spoke with reporters in Ila-Orangun, Osun State, yesterday during this year’s annual Ila-Orangun Day tagged “Ajagunla Day 2012”. He stated that the decision by the Boko Haram sect should be welcome by any body who loves peace in this country.

“The House of Representatives is the House of the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and any step that can bring peace to the country or any part thereof, the House of Representatives will support it. If the Boko Haram is now accepting that there should be a kind of peace pact with the Federal Government, I am sure that will be in the interest of all Nigerians.

“There will be a dialogue; it may not necessarily have to be all the conditions they have given or about to give that would be met, the government should be engaged and see how best we can resolve issues,” he added. According to Tambuwal, “the country is facing quite a lot of challenges, but those of us that find ourselves in the position of leadership are doing our best to ensure we have a stable polity where there is peace and progress.”

The Speaker also spoke on the proposed constitutional review debate.  According to Tambuwal, “the House will make the process more participative by asking each and every one of our colleagues to go back to his constituency and organize a people’s parley where members of the constituency would now come and address all the issues they raise.

“So, in our own case, we are actually taking it to where it belongs, that is, back to the people and then we would get the aggregate position of Nigerians on virtually all the issues before we finally take positions,” he added. The Speaker, who was guest of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, enjoined Nigerians to continue to support government at all levels in order to enjoy peace and stability in the country.

He said, “The constructive criticisms our government get from ACN and other political parties are not aimed at bringing down the government, but I believe such criticisms are meant to improve the quality of what the leadership is doing for the people, and it should be seen as such.”