Facts emerged on Tuesday that the purported zoning arrangement for 10th National Assembly presiding officers announced by the All Progressives Congress (APC) is heading for a collapse, following widespread opposition to the plan by major stakeholders.
The opposition is led by members-elect aspiring for the Speaker of the House under the aegis of G6, who unanimously vowed to produce a consensus candidate that will contest against APC preferred Candidates, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas (Kaduna, North-West) and Hon. Benjamin Kalu (Abia State, South-East).
This is coming a few hours after the APC National Chairman, Senator Adamu Abdullahi publicly cautioned Abass and his supporters who visited the party secretariat to desist from referring to him as Speaker.
Members of the G6 are Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase; Chairman, House Committee on Appropriations, Hon. Muktar Aliyu Betara; Chairman of the House Committee on Navy, Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi; Chairman, House Committee on Water Resources, Hon. Sada Soli; Hon. Mariam Onuoha and Hon. Aminu Sani Jaji.
The aspirants and other members-elect as well as various Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have over the past few weeks frowned at the micro zoning of the leadership positions in the House, as well as the exclusion of the North-Central region which has serially shown loyalty and dedication to the APC by votes delivered to the party in state and presidential elections.
While speaking on the development, Gagdi said: “Consultation is ongoing at all levels. We are making progress.
“We believe that the President-elect will not relent until the injustice in the APC’s zoning arrangement is addressed.
“The right for all candidates to be given fair and equal opportunity to pursue their ambitions must be upheld.
“I remain in the race for Speaker and there is no over-emphasising that I am qualified in legislative experience, capacity, and loyalty to the party.
“And as a youth, I will bring in modern innovations to revamp and reposition the House for optimal delivery to the Nigerian people who voted us to go and speak on their behalf in the Parliament.”
According to a statement issued by Gagdi’s Media Team, “Based on new developments which followed the meeting of G6 members and the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the weekend, it is now clear that the attempt by some elements within the APC to foist Abbas on the House is not progressing as planned.
“The entire arrangement is being reconsidered and a new zoning arrangement that will be favourable to all parties, especially the North-central, is expected to be announced soon.
“This is especially as Senator Abdul’aziz Yari from Zamfara, the same North-west zone as Hon. Abbas, has refused to back down from the contest for Senate President.
“With Senator Yari forging ahead, the possibility of the Senate and the House producing leaders who are Muslims is high and the President-elect has made it clear that he will not support the top four political positions in the country to be occupied by people of the same faith, hence his intervention in the zoning debacle to ensure that there is a balance.
“Amidst all the happenings, a frontline aspirant for Speaker, Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, has assured that no candidate endorsed by parties outside the green chamber will lead the 10th House of Representatives.”
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