By EMMAN OVUAKPORIE & HENRY UMORU

ABUJA—NEWLY elected Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, yesterday, called for a review of the Nigerian federation.

Tambuwal who said the post election and sectional violence and other crises have sought to tear the nation apart and plant distrust and disunity among the people said:  “We should review how we federate as a nation with the aim of achieving more cumulative efficiencies in the federating units, based on comparative endowment advantages.

“As the people’s representatives, we must heal our people and heal our nation. We must work to redeem the efforts of our political predecessors and we must work to redeem Nigeria.

Speaker of the 7th National Assembly, Rep. Taminu Waziri Tambuwal taking oath of office while Clerk National Assembly Alhj. Salisu Maikasuwa and others look on during Swearing in of 7th National Assembly in Abuja. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan

“We acknowledge that the dignity and integrity of this honourable House have been called to question, we must possess the humility that commands introspection and accept responsibility for our failures and ask Nigerians for forgiveness.”

The Speaker said that “mindful of lessons of the past, we will open a new chapter and commence a new era responsibility in all endeavours and we will be responsive, transparent and accountable in all we do.”

Atiku congratulates Mark, Tambuwal

Meanwhile, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, said, yesterday, that the election of Senate President, David Mark and Speaker, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has given fresh hopes that the entrenchment of democratic values and ethos was still possible in the country.

In a statement from his Media office, Atiku commended the peaceful and orderly nature of the process, adding that the National Assembly members have by their enviable conduct, showed themselves as “soldiers of democracy.”

He said he was particularly encouraged by the pan-Nigerian voting that characterised the elections of the leadership of the two chambers of the National Assembly, adding: “With the pattern of pan-Nigerian voting adopted by legislators in electing their leaders, there is hope that a new day beckons for deepening democratic values and ethos in Nigeria.”

Atiku said the lesson to be learnt from the process that produced the National Assembly leaders was that transparency, independent opinion and courage were essential ingredients of an enduring democracy.

The statement read in part: “The former Vice President commended the legislators for the maturity and zeal they showed in choosing their own leaders and urged them to sustain and extend that same sense of purpose and political maturity in the service of the nation and the people.”