By Levinus Nwabughiogu, Abuja

An aspirant to the office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives in the incoming 10th National Assembly, Princess Miriam Onuoha, has said that she will be conscious of the proverbial banana peels that characterised the public office so as not slip from her mandate if elected the Speaker in June this year.

Onuoha, who is the lawmaker representing Onuimo and Okigwe federal constituency of Imo State, was fielding questions from journalists after formally declaring her ambition to run for the juicy office in Abuja on Wednesday.

“Am I prepared for the backlash? It’s very interesting these things are coming from the public. I beg you the Nigerian people, I have come to you with utmost loyalty starting with my NASS constituency.

“I am using this opportunity to seek your support ahead of time and to also say that I will not fall for your banana peels. I will the management and the administration of the national assembly their roles to do.

“Mine is to be the political head of the House of Representatives. I will not involve myself in whatever we have seen to throw up opportunities for conspiracy or blackmail.

“I will work in harmony with my colleagues and the bureaucrats,” she said when reminded of former female Speaker, Patricia Etteh who was removed from the office by her colleagues.

Onuoha also said she will run an all-inclusive government to provide the needed leadership for the House.

She said that the dearth of female lawmakers in the national assembly was a call for concern and asked that she should be given a chance by other male contestants and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to lead the House.

She said: “I confidently yet humbly seek the support of my fellow members elect and the prayer of the generality of my Nigerian people, for the office of the speaker in the 10th Assembly.

“My emergence will create opportunities for NASS-stakeholders engagement to provide access for public participation in the law making.

“The emergency of the dwindling number of women in parliament calls for a deliberate action, an action that will bridge the gender gap, an action that is a call for the leadership of the National Assembly to embrace the stance for a woman of competence and experience.

“I honorably call for my fellow contestants to support me, a woman with competence, integrity, vision driven mission and a true display of diversity as well as inclusive leadership centered on equity.

“No doubt, our President-elect, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a he-for-she who has always empowered women in all spheres of life, having picked a woman as his running mate as the governor of Lagos state and also supported his amiable wife to become a senator in the parliament in line with the goals of the UN’S 35% affirmative action for women.

“To this effect, my election as the Speaker House of Representatives will therefore afford Nigeria the rare opportunity of killing the two ubiquitous birds of gender balancing and youth inclusiveness in its political/leadership landscape, with one stone.

“Truthfully, I Princess Miriam amply represents the twin engine essence of Nigeria’s youth and female status quo whom the circumstances of our political exigencies have made an endangered and vulnerable specie.

“Again the issues of regional balancing in the Nation’s leadership equation is also another veritable national challenge that my election to the speakership of the House of Representatives will address and resolve simultaneously in the interest of national unity, peace and inclusion.”

Onuoha who is the pioneer chairman of the House Committee on Disabilities and Special Needs asked the party to zone the speakership slot to her even as she said she was not in any political competition with her male counterparts.

“I have had time to consult. I am party person. I have been loyal to the party and I have shown capacity in my area of duty as a member of the party.

“And I am sure that the party sees the need to zone this office to me. And the party is aware of my capacity.

“I belong to Nigeria and I belong equity and unity of this Nigeria state and I represent the interest of all Nigerians starting from the gender community,” she added.

Onuoha who also unveiled a seven-point agenda of digitizing the activities of the House, introducing periodic strategic executive/legislature dialogue, improving public participation in national assembly activities, facilitating capacity development programs, promoting peace amongst members across party lines and geo-political divide and enhancing committees’ financial independence assured to reintroduce the gender bills that will help integrate women in the political firmament of Nigeria.