Diaspora group to protest in Europe over APC’s ‘imposition’ of leadership on n’assembly

A group known as Nigerians in Diaspora Monitoring Group (NDMG) says it will hold “massive” peaceful protests across Europe against the “imposition” of leaders on the 10th national assembly.

The group says the protest will begin in London, the United Kingdom and spread to other major cities in Europe.

The APC had nominated Tajudeen Abbas, a lawmaker from Kaduna and Benjamin Kalu, a member from Abia, as its preferred candidates for the positions of speaker and deputy respectively for the 10th house of representatives.

The ruling party also picked Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom) as well as Barau Jubrin (Kaduna) for the positions of senate president and deputy respectively.

However, the party’s resolution has been met with pushback from other hopefuls, while some stakeholders have called for a review of the decision.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Collins-Maxwell Abe, the group’s convener, said the APC’s decision is undemocratic.

Abe said Nigerians in diaspora have been left in shock by the party’s action which has sent a wrong signal about the incoming administration.

He said while the group believes in the leadership qualities of President-elect Bola Tinubu, the party’s zoning decision is an imposition and should be reviewed.

Abe said there is no democracy in the world where legislative leaders are handpicked by certain individuals or groups, adding that such rights are exclusive to parliamentarians.

“We have been left in shock with the latest happenings in the polity back home. Nigerians delivered a mandate to Bola Tinubu because they believed in his capacity, strength of character, and purposeful leadership,” the statement reads.

“For us in the diaspora, we saw the incoming leader as an upright man who will break away from the norm. However, the early signs have been the reverse.

“That is why we are joining other Nigerians to strongly reject the purported zoning of the national assembly leadership. It is not done. Even if a consensus is to be proposed, it is done after proper consultations.

“We are, therefore, using this medium to urge the president-elect to retrace his steps. It is too early for him to start committing blunders, especially with some Nigerians still having mixed feelings about his emergence.

“To show our displeasure at this brazen act, we have finalized plans to hold massive protests across Europe, starting from London, United Kingdom. We will do so to draw the attention of the international community.

“It is, however, not too late for Tinubu to make amends. Let the legislators pick their leaders. That is our plea.”