ATTENTION HON. FEMI GBAJABIAMILA, SPEAKER, FEDERAL HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: RE-DEATH OF HON. HARUNA MAITALA
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY COMPLEX
ABUJA

Dear Sir,
First of all allow me to introduce myself as Chinge Dodo Ayuba. I am a Nigerian citizen and a believer and practitioner of democracy as a form of Government this is because it represents people’s interest, aspirations, welfare, progress and overall development of any society. In other words sir, I am an ardent lover, promoter, protector and progenitor of democracy because it promotes freedom, equality human rights, equitable, representation, fairness and egalitarianism.

It is equally not in doubt globally that the legislature is a key institution of any democracy and that is why there is no democratic nation on earth without this vital and veritable organ. It is on this strength that crafters and authors of the Nigerian constitution 1999, as amended, instituted the legislative arm at both the National and sub National levels in which you now preside as the Speaker, Federal House of Representatives.

Mr. Speaker, I am sure that as a member and Speaker of the House of Representatives, you are aware of happenings in the green chambers especially membership and vacant seat in the house. Sir, may I draw your attention to a disturbing and worrisome issue of the vacant seat of Bassa/Jos North Federal constituency. The seat became vacant as a result of the death of the former member and occupant who died in April 2021, as a result of a ghastly car accident.

Honourable Speaker, I am sure that you are equally aware that within the same period, the member representing Lere Federal Constituency died. While appropriate and proper steps were taken which saw Mr. Speaker communicating to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which subsequently led to organization of a bye election the case of Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency remained different.

Mr. Speaker, while I salute you on the proper and appropriate steps taken immediately to fill the vacant seat of Lere Federal Constituency in Kaduna State, I am equally wondering why you have not extended the same energy, efforts and commitments towards that of Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency.

A major ingredient of democracy Mr. Speaker is the promotion of fundamental rights which are aptly captured in chapter IV of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended which you swore to protect and uphold. The provision in this chapter Mr. Speaker makes it abundantly clear in section 42 that right to freedom from discrimination is one of the key basic fundamental freedoms to be enjoyed by all Nigerians. It is however sad and unfortunate that the good and law abiding citizens of Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency are been discriminated against due to the inability of your good office to make the right decision at the right time.

Mr. Speaker, for over 6 months now our People and Nigerians living in the constituency have been orphaned politically as we lack a voice in the National Assembly to speak, defend, protect and take care of our interests as a constituency for days, weeks and months. The people of Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency have been deprived a voice, rendered politically irrelevant without representation and direction. As it is we have no present nor do we have a future because of this grievous offence of lack of representation. We have become sheep without shepherd, a people without leadership and electorates without representation.

Mr. Speaker you will agree with me that legislative business is so sacrosanct that if 1 hour of legislative business is unjustly taken from the people it will always have long term effects on the electorates. Sir, have you considered what the constituency is missing in terms of representation, legislative activities, oversight functions lobbying, setting of constituency projects and other enormous dividends of democracy in which constituents of Bassa/Jos North are forced to miss? I implore you to rise up to the occasion by doing the needful by duly and constitutionally communicating INEC to enable her organize an election to fill the vacuum created by the demise of Hon. Haruna Maitala as the people of Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency are blessed with more than enough human resources to continue the task of nation building where Hon. Haruna Maitala left.

Conclusively Mr. speaker, we are approaching the end of 2021 and this is the period where legislators lobby, canvass and fight for their constituencies for the next fiscal year. My question remains who is standing in the gap for the good and wonderful people of Bassa/ Jos North Federal Constituency? Sir, kindly rise up to your duties and responsibilities by doing the needful as what is good for the goose is equally good for the gander and a stitch in time saves nine.

Truly Yours,
Chinge Ayuba Dodo Justice
Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency Advocate

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Constituent, Chinge Dodo Writes National Assembly Speaker Over Jos North/Bassa Fed. Constituency Vacant Seat