Former Legislators Forum, A New Chapter in Nigeria’s Development

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has called on former lawmakers to unite and harness their collective wisdom to contribute to the country’s progress.

According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary Levinus Nwabughiogu,
Kalu made the call at the maiden gathering of the Nigerian Former Legislators Forum, NFLF, in Enugu State, which brought together high-profile former lawmakers from across the country.

The Deputy Speaker emphasized the value of the experience and insights of former lawmakers, saying their wealth of knowledge could be valuable to nation-building.

According to him, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is ready to work with the former legislators to realize the administration’s noble objectives of repositioning the country.

Kalu outlined proposals for the NFLF, including a hybrid pension model, a Knowledge Bureau to document legislative best practices, and lifetime ID cards for former lawmakers.

He also emphasized the need for a unified approach to secure the dignity of former lawmakers and support each other beyond their tenure.

“The NFLF aims to transcend partisan divides, champion pension reforms, and build a policy advocacy group to influence national policies” he said

Speaking about partnering globally and leveraging technology, the Deputy Speaker added that the forum seeks to strengthen democracy, project Nigeria’s voice, and harness the collective wisdom of its legislative heritage.

Kalu referenced international examples, including the United States Congress and the South African parliament, saying Nigeria could learn from their experiences.

The Deputy Speaker urged former lawmakers to work together to achieve the objectives of the NFLF, saying the forum would strengthen democracy and project Nigeria’s voice globally.

Kalu urged his predecessors and peers to go beyond partisan divides to reach the desired objectives of the association.

The event attracted many high profile former lawmakers from the National Assembly, State Houses of Assembly and Local Government Legislative Assemblies across the federation amongst whom were former Senate Presidents Ken Nnamani and Anyim Pius Anyim; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara; former Deputy of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha; former governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha and former Minister of Aviation, Senator Stella Oduah.

PR Oduyemi Odumade