By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor
Erstwhile Vice-President of the country and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential aspirant, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has expressed caution on ongoing moves by the National Assembly to make federal legislators statutory members of the national executive committee of their political parties.

Expressing concern that the move could be interpreted as a move to hijack the decision making body of the parties for the advantage of the legislators.

He spoke in response to public criticisms of a bill in the House of Representatives which aims to make all Senators and committee chairmen and their deputies in the House of Representatives statutory members of the NEC of their parties.

Atiku expressed his concern in a comment he posted on his facebook blog.

“Part of the ongoing reforms by the PDP is intended to address the past mistakes, which led to the virtual death of internal democracy.”

“On this score, therefore, I understand the existing challenges, which compelled the National Assembly to begin a major effort via legislation, to deepen democracy in the existing political parties in Nigeria,” Atiku wrote.

“One of the fears being expressed is that with 360 House of Representatives and 109 Senators added to other statutory members of NEC, it may be too unwieldy to have each of them as members of their parties’ highest decision making bodies.”

“In particular, the lawmakers should allay public fears that they are not seeking personal advantage through the latest move to amend the Electoral Act. If the President could be denied of a presumed desire to seek personal advantage through legislation, our federal legislators should avoid the temptation of falling into the same trap.”

“Any public perception that the proposed amendment is designed to give them personal advantage over others may undermine the credibility of the current efforts.”

“Excessive powers and advantages in the hands of either the executive or legislative branch of government may lead to tyranny, which may in itself stifle the growth of democracy. Therefore, while welcoming the current effort to amend the Electoral Act, seeking to make federal legislators automatic members of their parties’ NECs, I urge the lawmakers to examine the pros and cons of this amendment in order to sustain public confidence in the legislative process.”

“The politics of exclusion and the hijacking of parties by a clique may have compelled the intervention by the federal lawmakers. In doing so, however, I urge the National Assembly to debate the issue clinically, critically and dispassionately so that in our efforts to avert dictatorship, we don’t end up entrenching it in disguise.”