Opposition lawmakers in the House of Representatives, determined to displace the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the race for Speaker, House of Representatives may experience a big shock.

This followed alleged lobbying by the president-elect, Bola Tinubu of some leaders of the opposition to his side as the countdown to the election of principal officers of the 10th National Assembly continues.

It was gathered that the lawmakers, basking in the euphoria of their numbers after the penultimate weekend supplementary elections have since reviewed their plan.

Instead of backing an APC lawmaker, they are toying with the idea of electing one of their own as Speaker of the 10th National Assembly.

APC currently has 175 seats in the Senate while the opposition parties have 181 seats.

A breakdown of the figures for the opposition revealed that the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party has 118 seats, Labour Party (35), the New Nigerian People’s Party (19) and the All Progressives Grand Alliance has five seats.

Both the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Action Democratic Congress (ADC) have two seats each while the Young People’s Party (YPP) has one seat.

Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune in confidence, a member of the opposition caucus said the opposition parties were mulling the option of electing one of their own as Speaker.

He noted that the caucus had not foreclosed support for a member of the ruling APC for the seat, provided who ultimately emerges as favoured candidate of the APC stakeholders enjoys a warm relationship with his colleagues in the House.

He said: “Already we have 182 members. We are waiting to see who the APC would put forward as their candidate before we know what to do.”

The lawmaker, who noted that no standing rule forbids an opposition lawmaker from emerging as Speaker, recalled that in the Second Republic, Chief Edwin Ume-Ezeoke who occupied the position belonged to the defunct Nigeria Peoples Party, (NPP), and not the then National Party of Nigeria (NPN) which was the ruling party.

Investigation showed that the opposition lawmakers are throwing their weight behind Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Honourable Muktar Aliyu Betara from North East.

A ranking opposition lawmaker told our reporter that once the APC makes a pronouncement on zoning and Betara’s North East zone is precluded, the minority caucus would decide on the next line of action.

Feelers from the APC national secretariat indicated that although no position had been taken on zoning, the race for speaker is between the North-West and the North-Central. Incumbent deputy Speaker, Idris Wase (Plateau, North Central) and Tajudeen Abass (Kaduna, North-West) are leading aspirants for the office of Speaker.

With the expected return of the president-elect, Tinubu this week, the APC national secretariat is likely to initiate the process for meetings of the national Caucus and National Executive Committee (NEC) to be convened where a firm stand on zoning of offices of presiding officers will be taken.

The Wike, Kwankwaso mix

A lawmaker under the platform of the APC, however, dismissed the permutation by opposition lawmakers to produce the speaker as a tall dream.

He noted that it was practically impossible for 181 lawmakers to give a block vote to a candidate and that the President elect’s warm relationship with certain opposition figures would play a significant role in whoever emerges as the Speaker of the Parliament that would work with him.

While he conceded that the Labour Party lawmakers would naturally work in league with PDP, the lawmaker argued that the 19 members, who won seats under the platform of the NNPP would defer to Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso, the party presidential candidate, on who to back for the office of Speaker.

Speculation is rife in the North that Tinubu had opened discussion with Kwankwaso to ensure his return to the APC.

The lawmaker who recalled a recent meeting between incumbent Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike and Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, also noted that the former would play a role in who the senators and members of House of Representatives from his state would eventually support for Senate President and Speaker.

Justifying the Minority Caucus’ position, one of the lawmakers who pleaded anonymity, cited the provisions of Order Two Rule 2 of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives, 10th edition, that the extant legislative rules provides enabling environment for all members-elect to take part in the elections of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker after the President’s proclamation as well as roll call/documentation of assets and other requisite documents of Members-elect.

He, however, observed that the election of the two principal officers in the 10th Assembly may be a departure from the previous Assemblies considering the high turnover rate of members of the House.

According to him, if voting of the two Principal Officers is going to be in tandem with democratic practice and not based on negotiation, the ruling party may have its say while the opposition parties will have their way in constituting the Body of Principal Officers.

“I am pretty sure that with the outcome of the general elections and the Supplementary elections conducted by INEC, it’s obvious that APC is in the Minority while the seven Opposition Parties constitute the Majority.

“As you know, in democracy there’s this saying that majority will always have its way, while the Minority will have a say.

“You will agree with me that this has never happened in our democracy.

“It is on this premise that we are all working towards ensuring a win-win situation where we will have a level-playing field for all the Members-elect, irrespective of their political affiliation.

“It’s all about bargaining of each of the aspirants,” the lawmaker stated.

Meanwhile, it was gathered that Honourable Bamidele Salam (PDP-Osun) has expressed interest in becoming one of the Minority Caucus’ principal officers.

When contacted, Salam, member representing Ede North, South/Egbedero/Ejigbo Federal Constituency of Osun State, affirmed that he was ably qualified to contest for any of the principal officers’ positions in the 10th Assembly.

Serving former lawmakers root for Betara

Some former and outgoing members of the House of Representatives from the six zones of the country have endorsed Honourable Muktar Betara Aliyu, member representing Biu/Bayo/Shani/Kwaya Kusar federal constituency of Borno State, as the most suitable to be Speaker of the 10th Assembly.

The resolution was passed by the various respective former lawmakers after an assessment of all the aspirants who have expressed interest in the position.

Some of the lawmakers who signed the communiqué included: Emeka Anohu, (Ihiala Federal Constituency of Anambra State) and Dr Golu Timothy (Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency of Plateau) both of the 8th Assembly.

Others were: Mohammed Almakura, (Lafia/Obi Federal Constituency of Nasarawa State in the 6th Assembly and Nado Karibo (Ogbia Federal Constituency of Bayelsa State) in the 7th Assembly; Bashir Babale (Minjibir/Unogogo federal constituency of Kano State); and Segun Odebumi, (Surulere/Ogo Oluwa Federal Constituency of Oyo State in the 9th Assembly.

At the meeting, the lawmakers who expressed delight over the candidature of Aliyu observed that the country needed someone with the ability, capacity, competence and quality leadership to unify the country, hence the resolve to rally support for Betara who is the incumbent Chairman, House Committee on Appropriations.

The communiqué read: “While wishing our Muslim brothers and sisters a happy Eid-el-fitr celebrations, the coalition of former members of the National Assembly from the six geo political zones of the country, have come together to throw our weight behind the man of the moment, Hon. Muktar Betara Aliyu (OON), to steer the affairs of the House of Representatives as the 10th Speaker of the noble Green Chambers, commencing from June, 2023.

“This decision was arrived at by the various past members, after very rigorous analysis of the best man suited for the job at this crucial moment in the Nigerian polity.

“We unanimously agreed that the country needs someone with the ability and capacity to unify the country, the competence and skills to drive an effective and productive Legislature, a bridge builder between the other arms of Government and above all, a man with serene humility, character and fear of God in discharging the duties associated with the office. That person is no other than Hon. Muktar Betara Aliyu.

“The former members from the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th Assembly, unanimously resolved to mobilise support and reach out to the new members elect from their zones, with detailed facts of Honourable Muktar Betara Aliyu’s solid and intimidating antecedents with regards to his Legislative prowess over the years thus, singling him out as the suitable person over other contestants.”

APC stalwart warns Tinubu over alleged romance with Kwankwaso

A chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and close associate of President Muhammadu Buhari, Alhaji Abdulmajid Dan Bilki Kwamanda has warned the president-elect, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to jettison plans of wooing the National Leader and presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, back to APC, saying such move was capable of destroying the party.

Commenting on the alleged plan by the president elect to woo Senator Kwankwaso to the APC, he said: “We, in the North, will not condone alliance with Kwankwaso. We will resist it in the North. Kwankwaso did not help Tinubu win the election. We will not allow Tinubu align with Kwankwaso.

“If this becomes reality, we will fight Tinubu and APC in the North. We are not impressed with Kwankwaso’s politics and we warn Tinubu not to dare woo Kwankwaso into APC.”

On who should be the Senate president, Kwamanda, declared that Senator Barau Jibrin deserved to be next Senate president.

He said: “I want to assure you that all the right-thinking people prefer Barau Jibrin as Senate president to Ado Doguwa as Speaker from the Northwest.

“Therefore, to us, it is more important for Barau Jibrin to become the Senate president than for Ado Doguwa to become the Speaker of House of Representatives.

“More so, we in this region are not looking for the position of Speaker, we are after the Senate president seat.” (Nigerian Tribune)

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