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Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Kingsley Chinda has given insights into what transpired behind closed doors when members of the lower legislative chambers entered into an executive session with Service Chiefs who appeared before the House on Tuesday.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Chinda, who represents Obio/Akpor Constituency of Rivers State in the green chamber, said members of the House met with the Service Chiefs behind closed doors due to the delicate nature of the engagement.
Speaking with members of the National Assembly (NASS) New Media Forum on Wednesday, the House of Reps Minority Leader stressed the engagement with the Service Chiefs was successful and that some of the answers they gave were satisfactory.
Recall members of the House welcomed the Service Chiefs into plenary on Tuesdays when they made presentations on efforts being made towards alleviating the security challenges besetting the nation; after which, the House moved into a close-door session with them.
“The engagement with the Service Chiefs, you saw how deep the questions were, how free people were allowed to clearly express themselves, because we know that, that’s the security sector. It’s a very delicate part of our government and our society.
“And that’s why we had to go into an executive session for them to tell us truly what is happening because every week, we have not less than two or three motions on security on the floor of the parliament.
“And every week we observe one minute of silence for those who have been killed, who ordinarily would have been alive today. We are worried with that, and that’s why we had to take them on very deep issues, which we cannot throw open to the public.
“But I will tell you that it was very successful. Some of the answers were satisfactory. The areas that we disagreed, we also made them understand that for this, we don’t agree. We also threw alternatives at them and timelines were given for these things to be achieved,” Chinda said.
Speaking further, the Minority Leader brushed off insinuations that opposition voices are not being heard in the 10th Assembly, stressing that the minority in the House has taken a position to not just act as a watchdog but also provide credible alternatives.
“Whatever we do, it is about the interest of Nigeria first and foremost, not a personal interest, not for purposes of popularity, not for party interest. We have provided credible opposition but it might be a little bit different from what you used to hear.
“It will not be noise without action, it will be opposition that will be effective, that will provide an alternative and at the end of the day, as politicians, what we hope to achieve sincerely, is to build a better society. That’s our ultimate goal,” Chinda said.