Some members of the House of Representatives over the weekend testified that the media kept the 9th National Assembly on their toes to deliver their mandate.
The lawmakers who included Chairmen of key committees of the House made the confession at the end-of-year get-together and award ceremony organized by the House of Representatives Press Corps in Abuja.
Chairman, House Committee on Power, Hon. Magaji Da’u Aliyu, who was honoured with an award of the Most Impactful Power Committee Chairman of the House expressed joy that the 9th Assembly was scandal-free, expressing gratitude to Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila for giving them quality leadership.
He said, “I am proud of the 9th National Assembly. I have been around for sometime but the 9th Assembly we think we did a lot of things differently. We worked together. We worked very hard and were able to achieve our set out targets. All these go to the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, for the kind of leadership he has offered to us.
“This 9th Assembly is scandal free and we also wish to commend ourselves for that. I also wish to commend the Press Corps for keeping us on our toes and trying to make us do the correct things because if you know that there are people watching you, that would make you do the right thing. We would continue to work together”.
Also speaking, the chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Benjamin Kalu who also received an award as the Most Outstanding Spokesman of the House lauded the Press Corps for its effort in strengthening democracy.
“I appreciate the Press Corps for the stability they have given to the image of the National Assembly. It has not been like this before. Rancour-free, acrimony free. There is this integrity in the mind of Nigerians about the NASS. The confidence level has gotten from where it was to where it is at the moment not because of only what we did but also because of how you showcased what we are doing to the Nigerian people. People are beginning to understand that this fulcrum of democracy is actually playing a vital role in the advancement for our democracy.
“We have been believers of participatory democracy where we bring the people to the centre stage and what my committee has done is to increase the level of interaction and engagement between the people and the parliament. We make ourselves available and accessable to journalists.