The 10th National Assembly, comprising the Senate and the House of Representatives, is expected to be inaugurated by June, 2023.

As expected, the race for who will be the next Speaker and Deputy Speaker is already gathering momentum, as aspirants and their supporters are consulting politicians and relevant stakeholders that may help them realize their ambition.

For the Speakership position, no fewer than 10 persons have indicated interest to take over from current Speaker, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila. The position just like the three other presiding offices in both chambers are expected to be zoned to the various geopolitical areas of the country.

As it is now, the President-elect is from the South-west while the Vice President-elect is from the North-East. In line with existing arrangement, South East, South South, North Central and North West, are expected to fill other positions in the Assembly.

There are also calls to balance the religious faiths as both the President-elect and Vice President-elect are Muslims.

However, lawmakers are divided over the geopolitical zones to produce the presiding officers of the federal parliament.

Opposition Forms Alliance to Upstage APC

While everyone is waiting to know the regions the ruling party will zone the four positions to, APC aspirants, members and minority lawmakers have started lobbying and wooing their colleagues.

Last Tuesday, members-elect from the opposition parties met and formed an alliance ahead of the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly in June, 2023, with the aim of determining the leadership of the parliament.

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

At the strategic meeting, the lawmakers-elect unanimously formed a group to be known as ‘10th Assembly: Greater Majority.’

In attendance were old and newly elected members of the House on the platform of the PDP, Labour Party, New Nigeria People’s Party, All Progressives Grand Alliance, Social Democratic Party, African Democratic Congress and Young Progressives Party.

Some serving lawmakers present at the meeting were, Wole Oke (PDP/Osun), Beni Lar (PDP/Plateau), Boma Goodhead (PDP/Rivers), Bamidele Salam (PDP/Osun), Jonathan Gbefwi (SDP/Nasarawa), and Dachung Bagos (PDP/Plateau).

The convener, Hon. Fred Agbedi (PDP/Bayelsa), in his welcome address, said it was the inaugural meeting of minority caucuses of the ‘Greater Majority’ of the expected 10th House.’

The lawmaker also said the results of the 2023 elections indicated that the opposition members could exert a lot of influence if they were united.

According to him: “This session is to enable us to network, interact and familiarise ourselves as people that the results of the 2023 general election have thrown up as a new phase, having numbers that give us greater strength to deepen opposition politics and democracy. Therefore, we need to realise such and bond in the interest of our parties and the people we are here to represent.”

Following the resolution of the minority caucus meeting, there might be repeat of the leadership tussle in 2015. Recall that in 2015, Senator Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara emerged as Senate President and House of Representatives Speaker against the wish of the ruling party.

Following the rejection of their leadership by the APC, the duo defected to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and led the National Assembly for four years.

Gbajabiamila Meets Speakership Aspirants

Two days after the strategic meeting of the minority lawmakers, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, last Friday in Abuja met with his colleagues who are aspiring to be Speaker.

At the meeting with Gbajabiamila were, Deputy Speaker Idris Wase; Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Aliyu Betara; Chairman, Committee on Navy, Yusuf Gagdi; Chairman, Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Benjamin Kalu; Chairman, Committee on Land Transport, Tajudeen Abbas; Chairman, Committee on Disaster Preparedness, Abdulraheem Olawuyi; Chairman, Committee on Water Resources, Sada Soli; Makki Yalleman and Sani Jaji.

A reliable source who briefed THISDAY on what was discussed at the meeting said 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 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, any day 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 was raised regarding to 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

Gbajabiamila confirmed the meeting on his verified Twitter handle @femigbaja. He wrote, “I met with aspirants for the office of the Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives in the coming 10th Assembly. All nine aspirants I have known and worked with for many years and I have no doubt will do well in continuing and building on the legacy of the 9th Assembly.”

Meet the Aspirants

Below are the lawmakers who want to replace Gbajabiamila. While some have publicly declared interest in the race, others who are yet to are also lobbying and wooing supports from their colleagues and stakeholders behind closed-doors.

Ahmed Idris Wase

Wase is currently the Deputy Speaker of the House. He represents Wase federal constituency of Plateau State north central zone. He was first elected into the House in 2007 and is currently serving the fourth term.

Benjamin Okezie Kalu

Kalu is the spokesman of the 9th House of Representatives, representing Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State

In his declaration speech, the second term lawmaker promised to ensure parliamentary independence if elected Speaker.

According to him, Nigerians need a speaker that has the capacity to achieve cohesion, national unity, inclusiveness that will bring everybody together for the purpose of achieving prosperity for the nation.

The lawmaker assured that he has the capacity and competence to lead the Green Chamber having served meritoriously as the spokesman of the 9th Assembly and other positions.

Kalu said: “Nigerians are looking for a Speaker that will increase what I call parliamentary sovereignty where the motions, the resolutions and independence of the arm of government would be showcased better than 9th assembly had struggled because 9th assembly has maintained its independence, then we need somebody that will take the bath and sustain that independence.

Speaking on other issues, he said, “It is a Speaker that is gender sensitive that will reopen that space and begin to see reasons what they did not pass though before the President and then begin to give it the sense of belonging. So, prioritising education is what is in the mind of Nigerians”.

Yusuf Gagdi

Gagdi represents Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency of Plateau State. He was a Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly before getting elected into the House of Representatives in 2019. He’s currently the Chairman, Committee on Navy.

Gagdi made history as the first lawmaker in Nigeria’s parliament to sponsor six private member bills that receive Presidential assent within a legislative session since the establishment of the National Assembly.

Making his intention known to journalists, Gagdi promised to right the wrongs in the country’s budget if elected speaker.

The lawmaker as part of activities before his official campaign flag off on April 25th, met last week with Abia State Governor-elect Alex Otti and House Labour Party members-elect.

He also disclosed that he has met with about 24 state governors, adding that the next Speaker should be someone who can build on what Gbajabiamila has put in place; nation building a joint taskforce that unite members irrespective of their political party platforms.

Speaking on zoning, he said, “I’m from the North central and the region deserves to be Speaker if you are zoning it to Northern Nigeria. It’s only North central that has not produced Speaker in the past years. North-west has done four times, the names are there. The north-central too has contributed to APC. The six governor in the north-central as it is all of them are APC except Plateau state. So by the special grace of God North-central has done it’s best to the APC and if the party zoned to North central you will see more robust commitment from my side in ensuring that I become Speaker of the 10th assembly.”

Aliyu Muktar Betara

Betara represents Biu, Bayo, Kwaya Kusar, Shani Federal Constituency of Borno State. He’s no doubt, one of the very hardworking lawmakers who has made valuable contributions to the House right from the 6th Assembly to the current 9th Assembly where he headed key House Committees such as Army (7th Assembly), Defence (8th Assembly) and Appropriations (9th Assembly).

Aminu Sani Jaji

Jaji is a former chairman of the House of Representatives committee on National Security and intelligence in the 8th Assembly. He’s from Zamfara State, north west geopolitical zone. He was re-elected in the February 25 presidential and national assembly polls to represent Kaura Namoda/Birnin Magaji federal constituency.

Princess Mariam Onuoha

Onuoha is the Chairman, House of Committee on Disabilities and Special Needs. She represents Okigwe North/ Onuimo/Isiala Mbano federal constituency of Imo State. Onuoha was first elected into the House on February 25, 2020 on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC). She has sponsored some important motions and bills.

Speaking on her ambition, she said, “I am also in the race for the Speaker of the House of Representatives knowing that a presiding office position would help to address the lingering gender deficit at the National Assembly. I absolutely stand a strong chance now. It is becoming more difficult to win elections in Nigeria and worse for women.

“If a woman at this point is not appointed into presiding speaker or deputy, our political existence might just be coming to extinction. We do not just need a voice as presiding officer or member of the House but a strong voice as a presiding officer. Having a woman as a presiding officer at the House of Representatives would go a long way to augment the perennial gender deficit in the House of Representatives”.

Makki Abubakar Yalleman

Yalleman represents Madori/Kaugama Federal Constituency of Jigawa State, north west, Nigeria. He’s currently the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Defence. He’s one of the contenders and is optimistic he will emerge the next Speaker.

Abdulraheem Olawuyi

Olawuyi represents Ekiti, Isin, Irepodun and Oke-ero federal constituency of Kwara State, south west, Nigeria. He’s the Chairman, House Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness.

In his declaration speech last week, Olawuyi said, “I have the vision, experience, competence, humility, and the requisite knowledge to provide required and equitable leadership, that ensures inclusive participation of all members to pilot the affairs of the House and the country.

The third term lawmaker reeling out his plans if elected Speaker, promised to promote transparency and accountability in the operations of the House of Representatives.

According to him, the citizens have a right to know what is happening in their government, and the House under his leadership will be transparent and accountable.

He also promised to prioritize bills that are aimed at improving the lives of the constituents, such as affordable healthcare, security, education and job creation etc.

While vowing to foster a spirit of bi-partisanship and cooperation in the House, Olawuyi vowed not to compromise standard of governance because of personal interest.

Sada Soli

Soli who’s from Northwest-Katsina State, is the Chairman, House Committee on Water Resources. He was re-elected to the 10th National Assembly to represent the people of Kaita/jibia Federal Constituency.

Alhassan Ado Doguwa

The House Leader, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, is believed to be interested in the Speakership position, though he is yet to make this known.

His election is yet to be concluded as a supplementary poll has been ordered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in his constituency.

Doguwa was initially declared winner of the Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal Constituency before the electoral body withdrew the announcement, saying it was done under duress. (THISDAY)

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