10th House: G-7 Crumbles as Betara, Gagdi Step Down for Abass

*Shettima advises Wase, Sada, Jaji to follow suit in nation’s interest 

Deji Elumoye and Udora Orizu in Abuja

A coalition of aggrieved speakership aspirants in the House of Representatives, popularly known as the G-7, might have crumbled as its key members, Hon. Muktar Betara and Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, yesterday, stepped down for the All Progressives Congress (APC) consensus candidate, Hon. Tajudeen Abass.

The vice president, Senator Kashim Shettima, advised other contenders in the race to follow the examples of their colleagues, in the interest of the country and the party.   

Betara and Gagdi declared their support for Abass and Benjamin Kalu for Speaker and Deputy Speaker, respectively, of the incoming House after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu and Shettima.

Abbas and Kalu Joint Task Campaign Office, which disclosed the latest development in a statement lastnight, also refuted claims that Tinubu was not aware of the adoption of Abbas as Speaker.

The statement read, “It has come to the attention of the Joint Task – 10th Assembly that some aspirants for the Speakership of the 10th House of Representatives claimed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu never mentioned the name of Hon. Tajudeen Abbas as his preferred candidate for Speaker, but that the president only said he aligned with the position of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC) on zoning arrangement. 

“As of Sunday June 11, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas (PhD) has secured the endorsement of the overwhelming majority of members-elect across the eight political parties in the six geopolitical zones, and he is ready to compete on the floor of the House and take the mantle of leadership of the 10th House come Tuesday, June 13, 2023.

“For the record, the APC NWC announced on Monday, May 8, 2023 that it consulted with the president before reaching that resolution. The National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) met today, Monday, May 8, 2023 to consider reports of consultations and meetings held with the president-elect, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, other party leaders, and stakeholders on zoning arrangement for 10th National Assembly leadership positions.”

Meanwhile, Shettima, while speaking to newsmen, said Tinubu was pleased with the gesture of Betara and Gagdi to place the interest of the party above their personal ambitions. He called on the other contenders for the seat of Speaker to take a cue from the two men, who had decided to shelve their ambitions and work with the party to foster national unity, fairness, and justice.

Shettima said, “Right Honourable Betara and Right Honourable Gagdi have graciously accepted to step down and endorse the candidature of Honourable Tajudeen Abass for the Speakership of the Federal House of Representatives. The president was quite touched by their gesture because what binds us together is superior to whatever divides us. We’re one big APC family and together we shall.

“We cannot thank them enough for their graciousness and we want to commend the roles played by the Chief of Staff to the president, by His Excellency, the executive governor of Niger State, by the leadership of the party, here represented by the Deputy National Chairman.

“I think our party members will breathe a sigh of relief, that with the two big elephants in the room accepting to work as a collective, we believe that our house is in a very good shape. 

“We are good to go and we will call on other candidates; Right Honourable Wase, Honourable Sada and Right Honourable Aminu Jaji, to also see reason and collapse their structures with Abass/Ben so that as a family, we can forge a better future for our dear nation.”

The meeting was attended by the governor of Niger State, Mohammed Bago, and Speaker of the ninth House, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila.