One of the leading Aspirants for the position of the Speaker of the 10th session of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yusuf Gagdi (APC-Plateau) on Wednesday disclosed that he has so far consulted with 24 State Governors as part of efforts aimed at achieving his aspiration.
Members-elect of the 10th Assembly are expected to be inaugurated on the first working day after the 9th Assembly winds down on June 11, 2023, Nigerian Tribune can report authoritatively.
However, as a result of the newly approved June 12 as Democracy Day and as an official public holiday by the present administration, the inauguration of the 10th Assembly may hold on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
One of the Governors-elect, as well as Members-elect visited by the incumbent Chairman, House Committee on Navy, Hon. Gagdi, are Alex Otti of Abia State on the platform of Labour Party (LP) and all Members-elect from Abia as well as Enugu States.
Speaking during the consultation, Hon. Gagdi promised to correct some of the anomalies in the country’s budget by addressing the issue bothering on re-initiation of projects not completed in a budget cycle in another appropriation document due to political intention, thereby wasting taxpayers’ money.
While pledging to provide quality leadership for all Nigerians irrespective of religious, ethnic and political differences; he vowed to ensure fairness, equity, justice as well as promote good legislation and progress of the country.
Hon. Gagdi who served as former Deputy Speaker of Plateau State House of Assembly, however, promised to adhere to the zoning arrangement by the leadership of All Progressive Congress (APC).
He said: “Yesterday I commenced my public engagements which I have visited Lagos to meet with Governor-elect Abia state and members of Labour Party. Abia has seven members from the Labour Party in the House of Representatives. From there I flew to Enugu to engage and interact with the State Party chairman of Labour Party as well as the Governorship Candidate of Labour Party in Enugu State.
“Those are important for me because someone will wonder why this Aspirant for Speakership going to visit a Governorship Candidate that was just declared a Governor. Engaging a Governor who has majority in the House of Representatives is important.
“Yesterday, was the first public engagement I had but silently I have visited 24 Governors across the country. I am looking at the 25th of this month to 30th to flag off my campaign.
“I intend to stop initiation of proliferation of projects. Project will commence with taxpayers’ money and it won’t be completed, another similar project will be initiated due to political intentions. That is what is wasting taxpayers’ money. I have intentions to correct this.
“In the area of justice, I feel 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.
“I want to be Speaker for the Nigerian people. I don’t want to be regional speaker. God’s willing I will be speaker for the Nigerian people irrespective of tribe, religion. I will be Speaker and my primary responsibility is to add value to the people of this country.
“The qualities that I will expect from the next Speaker is capacity, sincerity, honesty and commitment. I want to see a just speaker. A speaker that will protect the interest of the people of all the geopolitical formations in Nigeria irrespective of population and what have you,” he stated.
Elated by his legislative prowess of sponsoring 12 bills in the last three years with six of them given presidential assent, Hon. Gagdi stressed the need for the APC leadership and Members-elect to concede the office of the 10th Assembly’s Speaker to the youths.
“On motivation, a lot of things motivated me, this is my second time in House of Representatives, even in first time I was able to sponsor 12 bills among them Mr President assented to six. Check and see if you can find any member that has funded 12 bills out of which 6 have been assented to.
“I think I have broken a record in the National Assembly. I’m proud to say that if we have a Guinness Book of Records in the National Assembly I will enter that book. I have moved 18 sensitive motions on the floor of the House.
“I chair Navy Committee and I have visited all commands and formations of Navy to discharge my oversight functions. So legislative trinity I have done it to the best of my ability so it’s one of my motivations.
“Because we have a President that is above 60, a Vice President that is above 60, a Senate President possibly that will be above 60, so you want Speaker again that will be above 60. When the right time comes I will advance all of those debates.
“So are you telling us that the youths from 25 -45 that have contributed immensely to the democratisation process are not qualified to take charge of one of the institutions of government? Definitely it will be part of the reason that I will advance in my campaign,” the speakership contender said.
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