Ahead of the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly, a civil society organisation, the Democracy Watch Initiative, has kicked against plans to superimpose a candidate on the National Assembly.

Its Secretary, Lawal Tinka, at a press briefing in Abuja, emphasized that the NASS was an independent body and that nobody no matter how highly placed had the right to impose a candidate on the National Assembly.

He said, “The Democracy Watch Initiative is saddened by the dictatorial tendencies and arbitrary abuse of constitutionalism manifesting in the handling of the leadership issue of the 10th National Assembly by certain interests.

“As major stakeholders in whatever happens in, and to northern Nigeria or Nigeria generally, we are worried by this persistent drive towards totalitarianism and tyranny in insisting on imposing a leadership on the 10th National Assembly in total disrespect for the democratic delineation of powers among the executive, legislative and judicial organs of government.

“Today we say, this impunity must stop and call on all Nigerians, young and old, men and women, traditional, cultural and religious leaders, politicians, civil servants, businessmen and women, teachers and students, the media and the civil society to rise and get involved in this struggle to free our country and our democracy from this emerging dictatorship.

“We invite the attention of Nigeria’s friends in the international community to the emerging trend in Nigeria and call on them to be vigilant as to the direction our country and our democracy are headed.”