Nigeria: Speakership - Gbajabiamila Denies Backing Kaduna Lawmaker, Asks Aspirants to Wait for APC Zoning

13 April 2023
Premium Times (Abuja)
By Bakare Majeed

About 10 ranking members of the House have declared their interest in the speakership position.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has denied a report that he endorsed Tajudeen Abbas (APC, Kaduna) for the speakership position.

A national daily, New Telegraph, had reported that Mr Gbajabiamila is working for the emergence of Mr Abbas. The newspaper claimed that the speaker is also working against his deputy, Idris Wase, and other aspirants in the race.

Mr Gbajabiamila, in a tweet on Thursday, debunked the claims in the report, noting that he has informed all the aspirants that they must wait for the decision of the APC on zoning.

He noted that as a beneficiary of the zoning arrangement in 2019, he will not do anything to undermine the party.

"Today, April 13, 2023, a national daily carried a cover story in which it reported that I was against the aspiration of my deputy, Rt. Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase, and some other aspirants to the office of Speaker in the 10th House. I have not declared support for any of my colleagues who have declared their interest.

"I have made my position abundantly clear that there is a need to wait for the Party to complete its zoning exercise as I cannot work against my Party's interest and position. I am a product of APC's zoning in 2019, and I shall adhere to that any time the party comes up with its arrangement. Anyone/media peddling rumours of my endorsement of any of the aspirants should desist forthwith," the tweet reads.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the ruling party has yet to decide on the zoning of the presiding and principal offices of the National Assembly. However, most of the candidates have been campaigning across the country.

Some of the lawmakers that are in the race are Deputy Speaker Idris Wase (APC, Plateau), Yusuf Gagdi (APC, Plateau), Muktar Betara (APC, Borno), Ben Kalu (APC, Abia), Sada Soli (APC, Katsina), Tunji Olawuyi (APC, Kwara) and Abubakar Makki (APC, Jigawa).

Others include Tajudeen Abbas (APC, Kaduna), Miriam Onuoha (APC, Imo) and Aminu Jaji (APC, Zamfara).

Only one lawmaker, Francis Waive, from Delta State has interest in running for the position of deputy speaker.

For the current 9th House, the South-west produced the speaker while the North-central produced the deputy speaker.

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