G-7 Aspirants No Threat to Abass, Says House Coalition 

Udora Orizu in Abuja

The Joint Task Group of the 10th National Assembly, has said delivering Tajudeen Abbas and Benjamin Kalu as speaker and deputy speaker respectively would be a smooth sail for them on June 13 inauguration day.

The group comprises eight political parties including APC, PDP, LP, NNPP, APGA, SDP, ADC and YPP that won various seats at the national assembly elections.

The group, which has since backed the nomination of Abbas and Kalu by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as its preferred candidates for the offices also sought to promote the independence of the legislature; inter-dependence of the legislature and executive, amongst others.

Speaking on behalf of the group on an Arise TV programme titled “This Week”, the secretary and returning member-elect from Kano State, Hon. Ali Madaki, said the members have resolved to give a block vote, adding that the G-7, a group of other aspirants, posed no threat to them, and would soon deplete.

“If you look at it, the Joint Task itself is a kind of gang up. I’m from NNPP, the co-chair (Chinda) is a PDP member, the Chairman is of the APC. A few days back, a greater chunk of the opposition came together and endorsed Abass. I can bet you the 10th assembly intends to work as a group and on that day, we will work as a group and speak as one.

“By the time we finish this interview, they could become G2 or G1, these are all people I know who are my friends and who are qualified to be speaker but, we have one speaker at a time. And the best among all is Hon. Tajudeen Abbas,” he said.

Madaki also said the stepping down of the trio of the outgoing leader of the 9th Assembly, Hon. Ado Doguwa, Hon. Abdulraheem Olawuyi and and Hon. Makki Yalleman was a needed boost to their campaign, adding that the country needed the best hand at the national parliament to effectively drive the machinery of governance.

He further hinted that the they had the blessings of the NNPP leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to support Abbas.