10th Assembly: It’s My Turn to Be Speaker, Murder Suspect Doguwa Declares

Udora Orizu and Juliet Akoje in Abuja

Leader of the House of Representatives, murder suspect, Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa, yesterday, declared his intention to run for the speakership of the 10th National Assembly, saying it’s his turn.

Speaking in Abuja, Doguwa who represents Tundun Wada/Doguwa federal constituency of Kano State, said he had paid his dues to the ruling party, and it was his turn to be speaker, hence the All Progressives Congress should reward him with the position.

Recalling the sacrifices he made while rising through the ranks over the years as a lawmaker, Doguwa pleaded with his colleagues to grant him the same “Gbajabiamila treatment”, adding that what is good for the goose is also good for the gander.

He said the ambition would be ultimately pursued if his party, the APC zoned the position to his geopolitical zone, northwest.

“I am a strong and committed party man and have stated it categorically clear in other fora that because of my absolute loyalty to the party, and my unflinching respect for party supremacy, my ambition will be predicated only on the condition that the party zones the speakership position to the Northwest Zone, which is my immediate constituency.

“I have realised that it is necessary to heed the call of the people, who believe in my capacity to seek the office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. I am committed to working with my colleagues and all Nigerians to deliver on their expectations and to preside over the house to the best of my ability in the overall interest of the people.

“I have paid my dues. It is time to reward my stewardship to both the parliament and the nation. Kindly permit me to take you a little down memory lane. In 2011 to 2015, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had majority in the house and controlled the leadership in that dispensation while Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila was nominated by the Southwest Caucus as their Minority Leader.

“From 2015-2019 when our party the All-Progressive Congress APC had majority in the house, it was only natural that the minority leader transits to Majority Leadership position. If you will recall then, the moment this convention was proposed, I personally agreed to step down from the Majority Leader position which I was earlier tipped for and settled for the Chief Whip position to give room for Hon Femi Gbajabiamila to assume the position of Majority Leader.

“Fast forward to 2019-2023 9th Assembly, in keeping faith with the convention of the house, when the Speakership position was zoned to the Southwest, it was only natural that my brother and good friend Hon Femi Gbajabiamila the then Majority Leader was the only one adopted for the Speakership position, the rest is now history.

“I would leave no stone unturned to galvanize the support of the House to ensure the actualisation of the laudable programmes and policies of the President-Elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration. I plead with my colleagues from the zone to extend to me as a privilege not by right but the same Gbajabiamila treatment because as the saying goes, ‘what is good for the goose is also good for the gander’. Let me borrow the humble example of our President-elect, Senator Tinubu that emi lo kan. It is my turn this time around.”