The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu has finally succumbed to pressure and has withdrawn the indigeneship bill before the parliament for further legislative engagements.
TheHintsNews reports that the Bill that seeks to make settlers an indigene of their place of residence after spending 10 years has been met with stiff resistance from stakeholders and various groups especially from the South West.
They tagged the Bill as an expansionist agenda of the people of the South East to other parts of the country, hence, the decision of Kalu to sponsor the Bill.
However, Kalu in a statement issued Tuesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Levinus Nwabughiogu, contrary to the claim by those opposing the Bill, the intention was to promote national unity, equity, and inclusiveness among all Nigerians, regardless of where they reside.
Nevertheless, he said the withdrawal has become necessary in the light of the concerns and constructive feedback received from various stakeholders regarding the bill.
The Deputy Speaker stressed that the Bill Analysis Report, forwarded by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) also made it imperative for him to step down the bill at this time.
He explained that part of the report stated that the State Houses of Assembly should make laws that will make settlers in different states enjoy the same rights and privileges by the indigenes.
Kalu noted: “States should make laws that would allow settlers to benefit same rights and privileges enjoyed by indigenes without any form of discrimination as rightly provided for in the constitution.
“Though the Bill seeks to achieve some commendable objectives, however, this can be achieved through enactment of law. If this Bill is passed, it would pose challenges with time especially on the issue of double or multiple indigenship.”
The Deputy Speaker said he was committed to ensuring that every legislative proposal reflects the wishes of the people.
He added: “As leaders and Representatives, we remain committed to ensuring that every legislative proposal reflects the aspirations of the people we serve.
“The Constitution Review process remains an open, inclusive, and participatory exercise, and no provision or proposal will be pursued without adequate dialogue and consensus-building.
“I, therefore, call on citizens to continue engaging constructively with the House Committee on Constitutional Review as we work together to build a more just, united, and prosperous Nigeria.”