Gbajabiamila Meets Aspiring Speakers, Promises Non-interference in Zoning

Udora Orizu in Abuja

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, yesterday, in Abuja met with his colleagues belonging to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) who are aspiring to be the Speaker in the 10th National Assembly.

The meeting comes days after members-elect from the opposition parties met and formed an alliance ahead of the inauguration of the next Assembly, with the aim of determining the leadership of the parliament.

As the APC moves to zone the House leadership, the opposition lawmakers insisted that they have the numbers to override the APC.

The opposition parties comprising Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party and others currently combined are about 163 while the ruling APC has 162 with some seats awaiting the April 15 run off.

At the meeting with Gbajabiamila yesterday were Hon. Idris Wase, Hon. Makki Yalleman, Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, Hon. Muktar Aliyu Betara, Hon. Sada Soli, Hon. Tunji Olawuyi, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen and Hon. Aminu Sani Jaji.

A reliable source who briefed Saturday THISDAY on what was discussed at the meeting said that the Speaker, Gbajabiamila was worried that he has never met with the aspirants and encouraged all of them to be peaceful.

The source also told THISDAY that Gbajabiamila promised that as a party man he will support whatever region the party decides to zone the position to.

The source further said the Speaker denied reports that he’s rooting for one of the aspirants, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas to emerge Speaker.

“The Speaker was worried that he has never met with us (the aspirants) so as the leader of the House there was need to interface with all of us. He encouraged us to be peaceful and live in peace with one another. He equally affirmed to us that as the leader of the House, anyday anytime the party zoned the position of speakership he’s not going to fight the party, he will support the zoning because he’s a party man.

“Some little issues that were raised regarding whether he’s supporting Tajudeen Abaas, he said, No. We actually discovered that it was one of his staff that was seriously campaigning using the name of the Speaker,” the source said.

In a related development, some members-elect of the incoming 10th House of Representatives across the political parties have settled for the choice of Hon. Aliyu Muktar Betara as the next Speaker.

The members-elect, it was learnt, were only waiting for the inauguration of the House in June this year to realise the ambition.

Already, alliances are being formed across the parties to smoothen the endorsement within the various parties in favour of the legislator.

Betara, who’s the current Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations represents Biu/Kwaya federal constituency of Borno State, is returning to the House for the fifth time and will be contesting the speakership alongside the current deputy Speaker, Hon. Idris Wase, Chairman Navy Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, House Spokesman, Hon. Kalu Benjamin, amongst legislators.

A member-elect from the ruling APC who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “I want to tell you categorically that if the election into the office of Speaker is conducted today on the floor, no one will beat Betara. He enjoyed the support of majority of his returning colleagues and the new members. We are also excited about his candidature because of what we got to know about him. As members familiar with the workings of the National Assembly having worked there severally, we can confirm to you that Betara has a very high acceptability rating among the members. What members want is someone accessible, respectful, intelligent, knowledgeable, humble and kind.”