Leadership<\/a> (Abuja)<\/p>\n8 December 2011<\/p>\n
\nPresident Goodluck Jonathan will on Dec. 13, present the 2012 budget estimates to the Joint session of the National Assembly.<\/p>\n
This is contained in a letter sent by the President to both chambers of the National Assembly and read on the floor of the House by the Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha.<\/p>\n
President Jonathan presented a budget of N4.8 trillion for the 2010 fiscal year to the National Assembly on Dec. 15.<\/p>\n
In another development, the House has mandated its Committee on Inter and Intra Party Relations to investigate the lack of internal democracy in political parties in Nigeria.<\/p>\n
This resolution was sequel to a motion moved by Rep. Albert Sam-Tsokwa (PDP-Taraba), the chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, which was unanimously adopted.<\/p>\n
Leading the debate, Sam-Tsokwa noted that the practice of democracy in the country, lacked the required internal democracy in the various political parties.<\/p>\n
He said that often times, political party leaders organised primaries in favour of their preferred candidates.<\/p>\n
“The way and manner candidates are selected by our political parties for elective positions in some cases negates the principles of democracy,”he said.<\/p>\n
According to him, if urgent steps are not taken to address the anomalies, the selection of candidates for elective offices will continue to be chaotic and crisis- ridden.<\/p>\n
Rep.Friday Itulah (PDP-Edo) said that any democratic process usually begins at the party level.<\/p>\n
Rep. Hassan El-Badawi (ANPP-Yobe) advised political parties to always ensure that there was internal democracy in their choice of candidates for elections.<\/p>\n
Rep. Samson Osagie (ACN-Edo) , the Minority Whip, suggested that the matter should be addressed through constitutional and electoral amendments.<\/p>\n
He said that most political parties often impose candidates on the people to satisfy particular persons or groups to the detriment of other party members.<\/p>\n
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