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Tag: 10th Speakership

  • 10th Speaker: G7 meets “Greater Majority ” , to present consensus candidate+Photos

    10th Speaker: G7 meets “Greater Majority ” , to present consensus candidate+Photos

    G7 aspirants for the Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives has met with “Greater Majority “, with a resolved to present a consensus candidate for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker.

    The G7 aspirants met at a parly with the “Greater Majority ” in Abuja on Saturday at Transcorp Hilton.

    The G7 reiterated their commitment to work with the minority caucus in a bid to present a common front for the 10th National Assembly Speaker.

    The G7 are made up of Rep. Ahmed Wase, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Reps, Rep. Aliyu Betara, Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Rep Yusuf Gagdi, Chairman, House Committee on Navy.

    Others include: Rep. Sada Soli (APC-Katsina), Sani Jaji (APC-Zamfara), Miriam Onuhoa (APC-Imo) and Rep Ado Doguwa.

    Sada Soli commended the caucus, while assuring them of their unalloyed support with a promised to present a consensus candidate to the Greater Majority.

    Responding on behalf of the greater majority, Rep. Fred Agbedi, commended the G7 in seeing the Greater majority as partners in progress.l for the progressive growth of the 10the House of Reps

    He hailed the lawmakers for maintaining sacredness of the hollowed chamber, while assuring the G7 that the caucus had not endorsed any candidate.

    He promised that the greater minority would work with all members-elect of the minority to ensure that the 10th House had a speaker for all

    The G7 however found the endorsement of Abbas and Kalu as an affront on their aspirations, claiming they were not consulted and such endorsement will not stand

    The total number of minority in the House from the PDP, NNPP, ADC, YPP and LP is 182, while the APC has 178 members-elect, while the focus of the greater majority is to preserve the independence of the legislature.

  • 10th HoR: Jaji joins parade of those gunning for Gbajabiamila’s job

    10th HoR: Jaji joins parade of those gunning for Gbajabiamila’s job

    …declares intention

    Hon Aminu Sani Jaji has officially joined those gunning for Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila’s job as he declared his intention to vie for the position of Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives.

    TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) reports that Jaji is a member of the G-7, a group of aspirants who feel aggrieved over the choice of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), of Hon. Tajudeen Abbas and Hon. Benjamin Kalu as anointed candidates for Speaker and Deputy Speaker positions respectively.

    While declaring his intention on Thursday in Abuja, the speakership aspirant said that he will work with the executive arm of government to address the issue of unity and trust in the country.

    For Jaji youth empowerment is paramount even as he noted that there are lots of imbalance in the Nigeria political equation that needs to be addressed.

    “Today I’ll like to submit myself to you once more to tell you that I am contesting for the office of the speaker of the tenth assembly. We are not looking for the continuation of the ninth assembly. If we are there we will do our best to restore sanity to the National Assembly” Jaji said.

    He comes with a six points agenda which amongst other things will enhance the image of the National Assembly.

    Jaji said he will strengthen the Legislative process of the National Assembly, ensure that in Appropriation there must be correlation between what is been appropriated and MTEF and added that there is the need to monitor oversight.

    Present at the declaration were members of the G-7 who are also contestants.

  • Speakership Race: consider Nigeria’s interest first, Ooni of Ife tells Abbas, Kalu

    Speakership Race: consider Nigeria’s interest first, Ooni of Ife tells Abbas, Kalu

    …backs APC anointed candidates

     

    A foremost Yoruba monarch, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi has admonished the front runners in the race for the Speakership and Deputy Speakership positions of the incoming 10th House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Abbas Tajudeen and Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, to always have the interest of the country at heart in the discharge if their duties as presiding officers.

    Recall that the duo were endorsed by the leadership of the ruling all Progressives Congress (APC) on May 8 as the party’s preferred candidates for the position of Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the 10th House respectively.

    Since the party’s zoning and endorsement, Hon. Abbas and Hon. Kalu have been visiting stakeholders in the country for consultative meetings and to solicit for support.

    The Ife monarch who played host to the duo on Wednesday evening in Abuja after they paid him a courtesy visit enjoined Hon. Abbas and his aspiring Deputy, Kalu to always have the interest of Nigeria at heart in the course of discharging their duties.

    He said: “Carry everyone along so that they will love you for who you are, not for the fact that when you get to be the Speaker, they will lobby you for positions. But they’ll love you for the great things you will do for the betterment of our dear nation.”

    The monarch who reminded the Candidates of their changing positions and their attendant responsibilities noted that the country must come first in their leadership estimation

    “You have become a servant from your constituency, you want to be a bigger servant to be the Speaker of the House and a much bigger servant to serve our dear nation.

    “Always remember that the interest that is number one to you is the interest of our dear nation, followed by the interest of your party, for what is important is that you carry your people along,” Ooni said.

    He therefore offered his royal blessings for the duo with prayers in anticipation of their success, just as he urged them to support and encourage the women among them.

    “May God almighty be with you. May God almighty bless you. May God almighty honour you, guide and protect you.

    “Also, give women support and encouragement, the Feminine ones, support them,” he said.

  • SPEAKERSHIP: Party’s supremacy Should not be Jettisoned on alter of political interest – Kalu (Photos)

    SPEAKERSHIP: Party’s supremacy Should not be Jettisoned on alter of political interest – Kalu (Photos)

    …as Abia stakeholders stage rally in support of APC’s zoning

     

    The Deputy Speakership candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 10th Assembly, Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu has called on his colleagues, particularly aspirants for the speakership seat of the House to place the supremacy of the party above any other political interest.

    Kalu stated this on Monday while addressing representatives of Coalition of Abia Stakeholders under the aegis of Advocacy for Good Governance Initiative who paid him a courtesy visit at the Campaign Sacretariat of the Joint Task – 10th Assembly Coalition in Abuja.

    Kalu who currently chairs the 9th House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs also called on members-elect from the South East zone to rally support for the Abbas/Kalu joint ticket, saying that it is one which is anchored on the diversity and multiplicity of interest in Nigeria.

    He noted that having provided the political vehicle that conveyed all winners of electoral offices to their desired destinations, the party’s position should be respected by all as a mark of honour and loyalty to the party.

    “I’m a man who believes that the party’s supremacy should not be jettisoned for our political interest. The party provided the vehicle for us to get to where we are, and their decision should be binding on us. That’s the only way we are going to make our party stronger, that’s the only way we are going to make people respect our party. Because our victories came through them.”

    Kalu also assured his visitors that if given the mandate to preside, the House under Hon. Abbas and himself will sustain the current tripartite approach to governance adopted by the outgoing administration, adding that the party’s decision to chose him and Abbas was based on the need for competence and maturity in understanding the objectives of the coming administration.

    “So the tripartite arrangements established by this current government is going to be sustained by the incoming administration where the party will sit with the Executive and the Legislature to come up with policy directions that will help our nation grow.

    “And the House through the partnership and the support I will give to my principal, who is the Speaker, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas by God’s grace, that we will be able to buy into the national objective. It’s not wearing a boxing gloves to fight the government. We should understand that this government is our government. Three arms of government with one national objective..so this is what we need if we are going to take the nation from where it is to the next level.

    “I’m also happy that you are supporting the joint ticket that includes the Speakership candidate, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas. He is a thoroughbred who has the highest number of bills in the House. He will be able to give to the House the kind of maturity in management that the House needs to manage the national objective that I have been preaching about.

    “So when it comes to comparative analysis between me and other members from the south East, I rank the highest with 43 bills to my name. And out of those 43 bills, about 2 to 3 of them have been assented to by Mr President. In motions also. I rank the highest in the nation in in terms of bills amongst new members, I also rank the highest in both old and new members from the South East.

    “So keep spreading this message not only to people who are within your constituency. Go outside your constituency and speak to people to speak to their representatives because we may not be able to reach all at once even though we will try our best.

    Kalu who assured that the 10th House will ensure the independence of the parliament whilst cooperating with the executive, noted that having all political parties represented in the Joint Task coalition was to cross fertilize ideas that represent the yearnings of Nigeria’s diversity, just as it will have at the core of its priority the national objective which includes equality and cohesion.

    “”So we believe that by the time we meet together, we can push for the independence of the parliament, what I call the parliamentary independence. And one of the things that we believe in also is the balancing of inequality. This is what the Joint Task stands for. We believe that building the nation, it doesn’t take one, it takes all. So all hands must be on deck and we must look at the existing inequalities and find a way of balancing these inequalities.

    “And doing that is very important because it will encourage national loyalty and cohesion in the heart of all the people from different geopolitical zones of the country which is the unity that we profess in our coat of arms which is ‘Unity, Peace and Progress’. So we want what will help us srentghten that unity so that we can progress as a nation in an atmosphere of peace. So in the spirit of section 14 of the Constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria on Character, the balancing of positions around the country was what my party considered, and not because I’m not qualified to be the speaker.

    “Thank you for coming all the way from Abia State to tell me that as one of your brothers, you are backing me and it’s very important that the support is coming from home and it’s growing,” Kalu said.

    Speaking earlier, the Convener of the Coalition, Mr Dike Uche told the Deputy Speakership candidate that they were at the Joint Task Secretariat to pay a courtesy visit on the outgoing House Spokesman after a citywide rally they held in support of his campaign.

    “We came to do a courtesy visit as a fallout of a rally we just held in front of the National Assembly and other strategic places in Abuja. The rally was attended by over 200 groups from Abia and at the end of the rally, we now selected a representative from each of the groups to come and pay you a courtesy visit and to reemphasize our confidence in you the Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, whom we had desired that you would become the Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives.

    “That was the position we had been canvassing then, but because the party had zeroed down its zoning and said that you will become deputy Speaker, even though it’s against our wish and which we would have insisted, but having listened to you in the media accepting the party’s decision to become the deputy Speaker, so we also now understand that between Speaker and deputy is a joint ticket.

    “And we also feel that the new government that’s to be inaugurated on May 29 will not function effectively without proper representation from the South East. And that has been our position, because we all know that Nigeria is built on a tripod. And that tripod if you remove one of the legs, cannot stand on just two. Irrespective of whatever the outcome of the election was, we feel that there should be inclusiveness. And we saw in you our dear Benjamin Okezie Kalu as someone who has all the qualities to be Speaker. Because you must have the quality of a Speaker before you can even become a deputy Speaker.

    “We are proud of you and we have been following your strides over the years, even the constituency projects you attracted to Bende Federal Constituency. Now we want to tell you that you are not going be just a representative from Bende Federal Constituency, but a representative of the entire South East, because you are going there to protect the interest of the South East. Both the women, the elderly and even we who are in the political class as stakeholders.
    We will continue this agitation until June the 13th when we are sure that this project is actualized and that is just the first leg of it.

    We will continue to press on it, we have granted interviews encouraging the new members-elect that you should be returned unopposed. You Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu should be returned unopposed as the candidate for the deputy Speakership post of the 10th Assembly,” Mr. Uche said on behalf of the coalition.

  • 10th House: Masari, Radda, Aliero throw weight behind Abbas for Speakership+photos

    10th House: Masari, Radda, Aliero throw weight behind Abbas for Speakership+photos

    …insist party’s decision is supreme

     

    A top aspirant and APC’s choice for the position of Speaker in the incoming 10th House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, has secured the backing of both the outgoing and incoming governors of Katsina State, Hon. Aminu Bello Masari and Dr. Dikko Umar Radda respectively.

    The endorsements came when Abbas led a delegation of members-elect from the Joint Task – 10th Assembly, a coalition of members from the eight political parties that have won seats in the 10th Assembly, on separate visits on Masari and Radda.

    Speaking during the late night visit on Sunday, Masari, a former Speaker of the House, said as a loyal member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), he believed the party’s choice should be respected.

    “You said I’m a party man; you’re right. So, I’ll align myself with what the party says. Once the party takes a position, I’ll make sure that I stand with the decision and make it succeed,” Masari said.

    A statement issued by Abbas’ Campaign office on Monday quoted the former Speaker as advising Abbas and his team to intensify efforts and work hard to realize the party’s decision, noting that the member representing Zaria Federal Constituency of Kaduna State has shown capacity over the years.

    On his part, Dr. Radda said as party men, they would ensure that the APC’s decision on zoning was implemented to the latter, saying he is a product of the party hierarchy being a one-time national welfare secretary of APC.

    “I am a party man, and I believe we should work with what the party said. I called all our members-elect and told them to work with whatever the party decided. This is our project. This visit is just a formality.

    “We in the Northwest thank the party and the President-elect for ceding the position of Speaker to us. We have done a lot for the party, so we may ask for more. I am happy to see the kind of people with you. This is a pan-Nigerian project.

    “You need the support of each and every person among the aspirants. You should reach out to each and every person to have their cooperation and support. Don’t forget to carry members of Katsina State along if God gives you the position,” Dr. Radda said.

    Both Masari and Radda in their remarks during the separate visits in Abuja emphasized on party supremacy. They said the political party under whose platform a legislator got elected should be respected at all times.

    Similarly, Hon. Abbas secured the endorsement of a former governor of Kebbi State and serving senator for Kebbi Central, Muhammad Adamu Aliero, during a visit on Sunday.

    Aliero, who is also a former minister of FCT, said he was highly impressed by Hon. Tajudeen Abbas’ credentials both in and outside the Legislature.

    He promised to mobilize the PDP members-elect from Kebbi State for Abbas, saying the Kaduna Rep. is the kind of leader the House needs at the moment.

    “When I learnt that Hon. Tajudeen Abbas was visiting me, I said this is the moment I was waiting for. I had eminent Nigerians waiting for me, but I decided to wait for you.

    “I know very well that APC has taken a stand on zoning. I want to congratulate you for getting the APC endorsement. All we’re waiting for is the inauguration day. God willing, you’ll be there. I must commend you on your bipartisan approach. The best advice anyone can give you is to be fair and just to all the people that give you their support.

    “Treat everyone equally. Don’t discriminate. Whatever comes to you, look at it nationally. You should be just to all. When there is justice, everything will be okay in the society. I can boast of giving you five members from Kebbi State. One of them is Hon. Tanko Sununu who’s already working with you,” he said.

    Speaking during the visits, the frontline aspirant, Tajudeen Abbas, congratulated Radda on his victory as governor-elect for Katsina State and the APC victory at the national level. He also congratulated Aliero on his victory at the polls.

    He said he has been in the House of Representatives since 2011 representing Zaria Federal Constituency, noting that he is the current chairman of the House Committee on Land Transport.

    Most importantly, Abbas said, he is the member that sponsored 74 Bills in the 9th Assembly, 21 of which were signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Additionally, Hon. Abbas said he is the treasurer of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Union (CPU), Africa, a member of the governing board of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) as well as the leader of the Kaduna Caucus in the 9th House.

    Hon. Abbas noted further that he came to the Parliament after serving as a teacher for many years, teaching in both secondary and tertiary institutions where he established three different departments in different institutions in 1989, 2001 and 2005 respectively before joining politics.

    The delegation also visited the Enugu State governor-elect, Hon. Peter Mbah, who offered some words of advice to the Tajudeen Abbas team.

    Abbas holds the record of the member with the highest number of Bills in the 8th Assembly.

    He was accompanied on the visits by members-elect from APC, PDP, LP, NNPP, among others.

  • Leadership tussle: Heed Akeredolu, stakeholders’ advice on Speakership, Group urges APC

    Leadership tussle: Heed Akeredolu, stakeholders’ advice on Speakership, Group urges APC

    A youth group in the All Progressives Congress, APC, APC Youth Alliance For Progress, APC-YAP, has called on the party and the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to heed the progressive and patriotic advice of some leaders of the party to jettison the present zoning arrangement.

    The APC-YAP in a statement on Sunday in Abuja stressed that ignoring the well-meaning advice of prominent stakeholders like the governor of Ondo state, Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, was recipe for a fractured National Assembly, especially the House of Reps.

    Governor Akeredolu had in a statement titled, “Proposed APC Zoning Formula for NASS Leadership Positions is a Skewed Arrangement that Reinforces Injustice And Enhances Inequity,” noted with great concern that the purported zoning arrangement released by the party “represents early signs of steps aimed at attempts to cabin the hard-earned presidency for our leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, by a few individuals with eyes on ASO ROCK POWER BUTTONS.”

    The youth group statement signed by Isa Pai and Wahab Adeyemi noted that it “stands logic on the head for the party to reward indolence and perpetrate injustice at a time for inclusion and national healing. It is urgent for the party to discard the notion of handpicking officers for the 10th House of Reps. Nigerians are already wary of the party and not attempt should be made to reinforce the idea that the party does not care about party development and democracy.”

    Referencing the Ondo governor, the APC-YAP wondered why the party that allowed an open field in the presidential primaries will now micro zone offices for the National Assembly as if it was a department of the party.

    Akeredolu had stated, “It is an insidious permutation that North-east will be deprived in the face of the unsavoury generosity dispensed through two slots to a particular geo-political zone. It is self-repudiating for one to argue, therefore, that the Speaker of the House of Representatives cannot also emerge from the North-east.”

  • Speakership: Why Tajudeen Abass must be rejected now, True Democrats tell members-elect

    Speakership: Why Tajudeen Abass must be rejected now, True Democrats tell members-elect

    The coalition of True Democrats at the weekend rose from an emergency meeting opposing the ongoing moves to impose Dr Tajudeen Abass as Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives.

    National Coordinator of the group, Dr Mustapha Yusuf in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja argued that the move is antithetical to the tenets of democracy and the rule of law.

    The group warned House of Representatives members elect to guard against any action that would compromise the independence of the legislature.

    The group called on members elect to freely choose from among aspirants jostling for the seat of the Speaker of the House of Representatives based on their pedigree level of acceptability, competence and experience over the years.

    The group thereby urged the President Elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the leadership of the APC to drop the idea of imposing Tajudeen Abass on members of the House in the interest of peace and tranquility in the country.

    The group noted: “The President Elect must not allow anti democratic forces not to cajole him into interfering in a function exclusively provided for the legislators by the Nigerian Constitution.

    “Those behind it are doing so for their own personal and selfish biddings which is inimical
    to our nations democracy.

    “For those who crafted the word democracy and indeed separation of powers. The idea is to have an independent arm of government called the legislature for the purpose of providing checks and balances in such a manner to avoid the concentration of powers in one body as this would lead to usurp of powers and consequently degenerate to dictatorship, tyranny and operation.

    “Section 50 (1a) and (1b) is clear and unambiguous as it states that the Speaker and Deputy Speaker shall be elected by the members of that House from among themselves.

    “This simply implies that any other person or persons or group of persons nominating the principal officers of both houses other than the representatives themselves is Null, Void and Unconstitutional, therefore amounts to an aberration which tantamount to usurping the powers of the legislators thereby exposing the fragile democracy of Nigeria to jeopardy.

    “We must do things the right way. We must not allow imposition of principal officers of the national Assembly on our legislators.”

  • Speakership: Abbas, Kalu meet, get Tinubu, Obasanjo’s blessings to run

    Speakership: Abbas, Kalu meet, get Tinubu, Obasanjo’s blessings to run

    Speakership and Deputy Speakership hopefuls in the coming 10th House of Representatives,Hon Tajudeen Abbas and Benjamin Okezie Kalu on Tuesday met and got the blessings of the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former President Olusegun Obasanjo respectively.

    Recall that Abbas, who represents Zaria Federal Constituency of Kaduna State and Kalu, from Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State respectively got the endorsement of the ruling All Progressives Congress on Monday to run for both offices as consensus candidates.

    While the decision has generated mixed reactions amongst party faithful and members-elect, particularly those contesting for the speakership position, the duo have since set themselves on the journey for reconciliation and consensus building ahead of the June 13th inauguration.

    Photographs and video recordings made available to newsmen by the Joint Task – 10th Assembly Secretariat which is currently managing their campaign indicate that both the president-elect and former President Obasanjo accorded the duo warm receptions.

    It was gathered that both leaders expressed confidence in their abilities to lead the House effectively and manage the diversity therein.

    It was also learnt that after giving their blessings at the separate meetings, Asiwaju and Obasanjo advised the duo to continue reaching out to other aggrieved aspirants in the contest for the purpose of calming frayed nerves, whilst also promising to intervene where and when necessary.

    Also on Wednesday, Hon. Tajudeen Abass and Benjamin Kalu continued with their consultative meetings with South East lawmakers, both outgoing and incoming ones in Abuja.

    Photographs made available by the Joint Task – 10th Assembly Secretariat showed the duo meeting with outgoing and incoming colleagues, amongst whom were Deputy Minority Leader of the 9th House, Hon. Toby Okechukwu from Enugu, as well as Hon. Sam Onuigbo from Abia State and a host of other elected members of the incoming House.

    A source close to the lawmakers disclosed that the meeting was part of ongoing efforts to seek the support of lawmakers of Igbo extractions, both outgoing and incoming by way of advancing the one Nigeria mantra and the Joint Task vision of inclusivity and cohesion.

    The development is coming barely 24 hours after a stakeholders meeting between the duo of Abbas Tajudeen and Benjamin Kalu with members-elect of various political parties at the instance of the Joint Task – 10th Assembly coalition, which was also attended by the outgoing House Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila.

    Investigation revealed that at the meeting which the outgoing Speaker used as a platform to formally present the party’s choices for the offices of Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the 10th Assembly, lawmakers, both returning and newly elected ones commended the outgoing Speaker for providing wise and informed counsel to colleagues with regards to the party’s choices.

    #

  • House Rules: It is impossible for Gbajabiamila to have interfered with my work – Prof Ihonvbere

    House Rules: It is impossible for Gbajabiamila to have interfered with my work – Prof Ihonvbere

    … insists Process was transparent, in line with House Rules

    Professor Julius Ihonvbere, Chairman, House Committee on Basic Education and Services and former Chairman of the Ad-Hoc Committee on the Review of the Standing Order of the House of Representatives has said that the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila did not in any way interfere with the process of amending the Rules of the House in 2019.

    The lawmaker who also chaired the House, Ad-Hoc Committee on the Legislative Agenda said that the process of amending the House Standing Order in 2019 was transparent and in line with provisions of the House Rules.

    Ihonvbere’s statement which he personally signed on Tuesday was in reaction to Media reports that the House Speaker, ‘Femi Gbajabiamila faces impeachment for allegedly doctoring the House Rule in order to “impose his stooges” on the House as Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively.

    The statement read: “Let me state very clearly that I was the Chairman of the ad-hoc Committee that reviewed our standing orders.

    “Those that know me, can attest to the fact that I adhere to the highest levels of integrity in any assignment I undertake.

    “The process was transparent and in line with our Rules.

    “Mr. Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila did NOT interfere once in our deliberations. I never had even a one-on-one meeting with the Speaker throughout the process. The committee finalised its work and it was laid accordingly…the rest is history.

    “It is not my wish to take up issues on the merit and demerits of the recommended and approved process. For now, let me state very categorically that the document was not tampered with in any way.

    “As democrats, we must all refrain from trying to corrupt, contaminate or compromise the Democratic process in any way,” Prof. Ihonvbere submitted.

    “In the document in circulation, it could be seen that the alleged doctored Rule was gazetted as official document of the House over 3 years ago, just as the Votes and Proceedings of the July 25, 2019 shows clearly the decision of the House at the Committee of the Whole on the affected provisions.

    Order Sub-Rule 3 deals with
    election of presiding officers where the word Tellers appears reads this: “when two or more Members-elect are nominated and Seconded as Speaker and where the two or more accept, the election shall be conducted as follows:

    “Division /Tellers method of voting.
    (i) By electronic voting; or
    (ii) voting shall be conducted by the Clerk to the NationalAssembly using the
    list of the Members-elect of the House, with the Proposers and Seconders as
    Tellers;

    “(iii)every member voting shall name clearly the candidate of his choice;
    (iv) when all members that are present and who wish to vote have voted, the
    Clerk to the National Assembly shall declare the exercise closed;

    “(v) the Clerk of the House shall submit the result of the voting to the Clerk to the National Assembly who shall then declare the member-elect who has
    received the highest number of votes as Speaker-elect,” it said.

  • SPEAKERSHIP: North Central APC stakeholders, demand speaker’s position, say ‘awa lokan’

    SPEAKERSHIP: North Central APC stakeholders, demand speaker’s position, say ‘awa lokan’

    …declares that party is deliberately excluding zone

    … endorse outgoing DS, Wase

    … insists NW delivered more votes because they have more states

    A group under the aegis of North Central APC Stakeholders, on Sunday declared that it is the turn of their geo-political zone to produce the next speaker of the House of Representatives in this dispensation.

    TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) reports the north east critical stakeholders disclosed this position while briefing journalists on Sunday in Abuja.

    Coordinator of the group, Hon Dominic Anancha who led the stakeholders said the alleged zoning of the speakership position to North West was deliberately done to exclude the North Central.

    He explained that the President-Elect Bola Tinubu who rode on the zoning arrangements cannot be a violator of same zoning formula that gave him easy ride.

    “We have noticed an abnormally in the APC direction as per zoning and if it’s true that the North West will produce the next speaker it’s not going to augur well for our democracy.

    “This is a clear disregard to equity, fairness and justice as these are the principles upon which APC was created.

    “The President-elect cannot ignore the fact that we from the North Central contributed immensely to his electoral victory as we scored four over six.

    “We have the highest number of parliamentarians in the fold of APC outside the South West, in Benue for instance, APC got ten seats out of eleven in the House of Representatives.

    “How many lawmakers did Kaduna and Kano garner for APC, in Kano NNPP got 18 seats. In Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa we delivered more lawmakers in the North Central than the North West.

    “As for the presidential election we equally gave a good showing with six states, you can’t compare us with North West that has seven states, if we had seven states we would have done better.

    “That should not be used as yardstick in measuring performance because we equally delivered four states for APC, Kogi is still hanging and we will get it.

    “Our position is that the position of speaker should be zoned to North Central in the spirit of equity, fairness and justice and our choice is Hon Idris Wase.