By innocent anaba
Lawyers in the country have backed Mr. Aminu Tambuwal for the position of Speaker of House of Representatives, noting that the leadership of the House should not be based on ethnic sentiments but on intellectual ability and time-tested leadership qualities.

According to the lawyers, the logjam over the choice of Speaker was unwarranted. Tambuwal, a lawyer is from the North-West.

General Secretary of  Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Mr. Olumuyiwa Akinboro, said, “every Nigerian has the right to aspire for and equally contest for any office in the land as provided by the 1999 constitution.

Further he said, “if any political party is interested in supporting any candidate, let the party mobilise support for such a person on the floor of the House and not stop any Nigerian from exercising his right guaranteed under the constitution.”

Senior lawyers, who preferred not to be named, said the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, zoning formula had been rendered ineffective with the emergence of President Goodluck Jonathan, adding that Tambuwal has the experience, intellectual capacity and finesse to lead the House.

Tambuwal, in the House served as Deputy Chief Whip, Minority Leader and a member of the House Committees on Rules and Business, Communications, Judiciary, Inter-Parliamentary and Water Resources.

Tambuwal has pledged to lead the House in the direction of employing legislation as a driver for rapid economic growth and development.

These include efficiency of resource allocation and cost-effectiveness of resource utilisation; liberalisation of the economic space to encourage private sector participation; inclusion and process transparency, and maximisation of the benefits of the greatest good for the greatest number of Nigerian citizens.

Lawyers believe Tambuwal will ensure that attention is given to legislation essential to shaping the attractiveness of the Nigerian economic environment and building the confidence of investors.