"We will not allow this parliament to be disgraced. We will not allow this parliament to be hijacked," one of the lawmakers said.
Senior lawmakers of Nigeria's ruling party have vowed to challenge their party's choice for the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that the ruling APC, on Monday, announced its adoption of Tajudeen Abbas (Kaduna) as its choice for the position of Speaker of the 10th House, which will be inaugurated next month. The APC said the choice was made after consultations with President-elect Bola Tinubu.
However, five ranking APC lawmakers, who had also declared their intention for the position, said Monday that would work together to challenge their party's candidate.
The current Deputy Speaker, Idris Wase, who is also one of the aspirants for the position, stated this on Monday at the official declaration of Muktar Betara for the position. The event was held at Transcorp Hotel in Abuja.
Mr Wase said five of the aspirants have resolved to work together to oppose the APC's consensus arrangement. He listed the five to include himself, Mr Betara, Sada Soli, Alhassan Doguwa and Ahmed Jaji.
The Monday event turned out to be a venue of solidarity among the aspirants as they openly rejected the endorsement of Mr Abbas.
Yusuf Gagdi and Miriam Onuoha also attended the declaration but did not openly challenge the arrangement.
PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported that the ruling party adopted Tajudeen Abbas, a lawmaker from Kaduna State as the consensus candidate, and Ben Kalu, a lawmaker from Abia State as deputy speaker.
In his speech, Mr Wase said he was opposed to any form of consensus without consultation with the members of the House. He said there is a need for all lawmakers to fight to save the parliament.
He said four of the aggrieved aspirants held a meeting where they agreed to challenge Mr Abbas. Mr Doguwa, the current Majority Leader, later joined the group, Mr Wase said.
"We are here for the independence of the parliament. To ensure that we work as a family. What we are witnessing today, I have never seen that kind of moment in the parliament. That is why every parliamentarian must rise to the occasion to defend the institution. It is in the light of that, that five of us sat - we will work as a team to prevent the parliament from being hijacked, to be made a lame duck."
"We will not allow this parliament to be disgraced. We will not allow this parliament to be hijacked. We are loyal to our country first, loyal to our party, and loyal to our people. As my leader (Doguwa) did mention, when you say you have a consensus candidate, the language for consensus is very simple. It means there has been massive consultation. People have been brought to the table for consultation. In this case, we are hearing rumours and speculation that some persons have been made consensus candidates," he said.
"We will defeat those forces that think Nigeria is in their pocket," he said.
Also speaking, Mr Doguwa said the business of selecting the leaders of the parliament should be left to the lawmakers, not outsiders that did so without consultation with the lawmakers.
"The business of the selection of our leaders should be solely our business. Members that are equal among members must be respected.
"In a situation where some other people in whatever guise try to determine how or where or when or who should form leadership without consulting us, that should be seen as a mere failure. Inclusion is very key. I am open to consultation, but until then everyone should bear his father's name," he said.
Mr Soli, a lawmaker from Katsina State was very direct in his speech. He noted that the sanctity of the parliament must be respected by all. He said the reports the lawmakers are getting regarding the consensus arrangement will spell doom for the legislature.
Mr Betara in his speech expressed willingness to work with the other aspirants in the interest of the parliament.
"We are moving as a group to get back the institution," Mr Betara said.
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All the aspirants that spoke made it clear that they are still in the race for the speakership.
In what is an indication of the intense politicking to come in the next few weeks, lawmakers elected on the platform of minority parties also said Monday that they would challenge the APC for the position of speaker.
The lawmakers-elect, drawn from the seven minority parties, in a statement on Monday, said they would use their numerical strength to produce the presiding officers of the lower House.
The parties are the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Social Democratic Party (SDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Young Progressive Party (YPP).
"Since emerging as the "Greater Majority," with a combined members-elect tally of 183, as against the APC's total of 177, history beckons on us to constructively, and creatively, chart the path towards the deepening of our nation's democracy," they said.
