National Assembly opens

Nigeria’s National Assembly was inaugurated on Thursday after 15 years of uninterrupted military rule by decree, news organisations reported. Olusegun Obasanjo, who began his first working day in office as president on Monday, opened the 109-seat Senate and 360-seat House of Representatives after days of political infighting to pick the Senate speaker, Reuters reported. Evan Enwerem emerged as the winner in the race for the speaker’s seat over Chuba Okadigno, Reuters said. The position of speaker is reserved for members of the Igbo community, under a constitutional proviso to ensure that all ethnic groups share positions of responsibility. The speaker is a powerful post since he becomes head of state if the president or vice president dies. News organisations said Obasanjo was due to address both houses of the assembly on Friday. After that, the assembly can begin confirmation hearings for his ministerial nominees. The assembly last functioned fully in 1983 when soldiers overthrew President Shehu Shagari. In 1992, a national assembly was elected but its life was cut short after General Ibrahim Babangida annulled the 1993 presidential elections.