House of Representatives member Tajudeen Abbas has said that 200 of his colleagues have endorsed him to lead the Green Chamber in the 10th National Assembly.

He spoke yesterday when he led members of the Joint Task to Osun State where he solicited for Governor Ademola Adeleke’s support for his ambition.

Abbas, anointed aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Zaria Constituency, said the over 200 lawmakers-elect comprise returning and first timers.

Abbas told the governor: “The party leadership has anointed me as the Speaker alongside Benjamin Kalu as deputy. For us to make our task easier, we commenced what is called the Joint Task, which is an independent group set up by the members of House of Representatives across eight political parties in the House. The task force is the umbrella that we are using to actualise our ambition.

“If you look at the party representatives here, you will see APC, LP, PDP and others. I want to assure you that we are over 200 that are in support of my ambition comprising returning lawmakers and first timers.”

Adeleke assured the movement of his support, saying: “As we are supporting you, support Osun in our desire. We seek the support of the House for the appropriation of fund for the Osun State Airport project so that the facility can open up our economy.

“We respect and support the APC zoning formula. I call you all to support the PDP zoning arrangement in the House, and kindly reciprocate our gesture by supporting the PDP agenda in the House.”

But the division over the zoning of National Assembly principal offices has persisted in the ruling party.

Yesterday, the National Vice Chairman (Northwest) Salihu Lukman, alleged that the party chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, was working against the consensus zoning formula.

House of Representatives member Tajudeen Abbas, who has been endorsed for Speaker claimed that 200 of 360 lawmakers-elect were backing his ambition.

Lukman accused Adamu of behaving like a “factional leader”, alleging that the chairman was not working for the success of the preferred candidates nominated by the party.

Senator Jibrin Barau and Rep Benjamin Kalu have also been endorsed by the APC as Deputy Senate President and Deputy Speaker House of Representatives.

Before Lukman’s yesterday’s outburst, he was similarly locked in a row immediately after the election with Adamu and APC National Secretary Iyiola Omisore over how the party is being run.

It took the intervention of some leaders to end the disagreement.

Lukman, in a statement in Abuja, titled: “APC and Transition Politics”, alleged that the chairman and some party leaders were working towards a repeat of the 2015 model of rebellious National Assembly leadership, through what he alleged as “hardcore ethnic Northern agenda”.

He said: “The same conservative bloc is now spewing up hardcore ethnic Northern agenda against the zoning decisions approved by the NWC following the outcome of consultations between Sen. Abdullahi Adamu-led NWC team with President Tinubu. As if those consultations were not designed to produce agreements, once the NWC approved the recommendation for zoning the leadership of the 10th National Assembly.

“Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, instead of acting as the National Chairman, facilitating the implementation of decisions of organs of the party, is acting as a factional leader opposing the decision of the NWC. Instead of working for the success of the decision of the NWC through activating meetings of higher organs of the party to confer more legitimacy to the decision of the NWC, he seems to be more interested in ensuring that the 2015 model of rebellious leadership emerges in the 10th National Assembly.” (The Nation)

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