House Speaker Race: Analyst Makes Case for Wase, Says APC Must Reward Loyalty in Allocating Offices

Udora Orizu in Abuja 

As the race for the Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives gathers momentum, an Abuja based social affairs analyst, Cham Faliya Sharon, has called on the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), to support the aspiration of incumbent Deputy Speaker, Hon. Idris Wase to emerge.

Sharon who made the call in a statement she issued on Sunday, noted that the APC should as a matter of reward for loyalty and faith in its ideologies, zone the position to the North Central, and support Hon. Idris Wase as it preferred choice for the Speakership seat.

The social commentator who expressed admirations for the party’s exploits at the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections said that majority of Nigerians have kept faith with the governing APC by handing the party continuity in the Presidency and a comfortable majority in both Chambers of the National Assembly.

“For any honest observer, as well as any good student of Nigeria’s developmental history, the party’s triumph at the polls is well-earned because the party’s achievements in office, especially in the provision of infrastructure and growth of local productivity, are unprecedented. And these achievements are the result of the progressive collaboration and support given the Executive branch by the leadership and members of the National Assembly who are majorly of the APC.

“With the party set to commence another journey of leading the country into another phase of development, and considering also that certain key national leadership offices will be zoned to respective geopolitical zones, it becomes imperative to call on the national leadership of the APC to, as a matter of principle and honour, zone the position of the Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the 10th Assembly to the North Central geopolitical zone, and if it does that, it should also kindly throw its weight behind Rt. Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase, the current Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, to become the next Speaker.

“Zoning the Office of Speaker to the North Central region and supporting Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase to occupy the office should be considered an exercise of recognition and reward for loyalty and sacrifice. Since the 2015 general elections to date, a significant section of the North Central region has maintained an unalloyed support for the APC, and it will be just and noble to appreciate this support and loyalty by ceding this important national office to them so that the party can expand and maintain its hold in the region.

She said having enjoyed the reward for performance and steadfastness from Nigerians at the polls, the APC should replicate same by rewarding Hon. Wase for his loyalty, dedication and legislative dexterity and competence in co-running the affairs of the House for the benefits of the party, the House and Nigeria as a whole.

“As a member of the House of Representatives from Plateau State, Rt. Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase has consistently shown that he is a perfect example of what loyalty and respect for the APC ought to be. Always toeing the party’s line on all matters, and having demonstrated his panache for excellent congressional leadership by the way he adroitly deputized the Speakership of the current House of Representatives under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, it is therefore easy to fathom that he can resolutely lead the next House to help the party achieve more wins for the Nigerian people.

“His loyalty and subscription to party supremacy came to the fore in 2019 during the contest for the Speakership of the House when, in spite of having secured overwhelming support from majority of members to elect him as Speaker, he toed the party’s line by stepping down for Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila after the party decided that the position has been ceded to the Southwest. He marshalled the caucus to honour the party’s decision in the interest of peace, unity and progress of the party, and since then, he has remained committed to whatever will promote the party’s progress and stability. This is an act of nobility and sacrifice worth remembering and equally worth rewarding by the party.

“With a knack for cultivating goodwill and respect from his colleagues across party lines because of his simplicity and boundless generosity, it is evident that Hon. Wase can gracefully lead the House effectively with the kind of team spirit expected of legislative bodies, and the fact that he is a principled party man means he can deploy such sterling qualities into steering the Chamber to adopting and implementing the progressive ideals and objectives of the party. In other words, the streak of wins and stability the party currently enjoys because of the cooperative disposition of the current leadership of the House can only be maximized under him,” she added.