House of Representatives Speaker, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal yesterday said undemocratic trends were creeping into the nation’s democratic system just as he noted that there is no law that compels him to be at Federal Government organized events.
The Honourable Speaker made this position known during the Democracy Day celebration in Sokoto.
Information Nigeria reports that Tambuwal was conspicuously absent at the mid-term report of the President Goodluck Jonathan administration at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, as he was represented by his deputy, Emeka Ihedioha.
However, speaking through his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Malam Imam Imam in a statement commemorating the day, Tambuwal pointed out that it is only when democracy is in place that election and re-election can take place as the nation moves towards 2015 general elections.


He urged Nigerians to nurture and protect the country’s democracy through active participation at all levels reminding all that “We should not forget so soon, the devastating effect of military rule and how past dictatorships have stunted the growth of the country and severely hampered the freedom of choice of Nigerians.”
On his absence at an event which was attended by principal officers of the National Assembly including Senate President David Mark and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, Imam said, “That is why the law provides for a deputy speaker who can attend such events in the absence of the speaker”.
He also added that contrary to insinuations that the Speaker deliberately shunned the event, Imam said that the speaker had an obligation to his constituency.

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