THE NATION
Newly-elected members of the 10th National Assembly are gripped by anxiety ahead of their June inauguration, expecting a tight race for the next Speaker of the House of Representatives.
About 13 members, mostly APC ranking Representatives, have indicated interest in succeeding the outgoing Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Two hundred and eighty-four of the 360 House of Representatives members-elect are first timers.
The huge figure of new members has sparked fears of a possible repeat of the Bukola Saraki formula in the 8th Senate unless the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is proactive. Some of the aspirants are said to be infiltrating the ranks of the first timers whose governors (their godfathers) are also completing two terms in office on May 29th.
But the most challenging factor in choosing the next Speaker is the rivalry between the North-West and the North-Central to lead each arm of the National Assembly.
While the North-West is seeking the Senate presidency or the Speaker because of its support for the President-Elect, the North-Central wants APC to fulfill its unwritten agreement which made its candidates to step down for Gbajabiamila in 2019.
Those who stepped down were the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase and Umar Mohammed Bago, who is now the Governor-Elect in Niger State.
Only the North-Central out of the three geopolitical zones in the North has not produced House Speaker.
Investigation by our correspondent revealed that the complex nature of the jostle for the Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives has made APC leadership to adopt what a source described as a “cautious approach to zoning formula.”
It was gathered that this is the first time the party is recording the highest number of aspirants for the office.
The number currently stands at 13.
They are Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Idris Wase (Plateau-North Central); Chairman, House Committee on Navy, Yusuf Adamu Gagdi (Plateau, North Central); Chairman, House Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness, Abdulraheem Olawuyi (Kwara, North Central), Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Aliyu Mukthar Betara (Borno- North East); Chairman, House Committee on Land Transport, Tajudeen Abbas (Kaduna- North West); Chairman, House Committee on Water Resources, Sada Soli Jibia (Katsina- North West), Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Benjamin Okezie Kalu (Abia, South East); Chairman, House Committee on Disability Matters, Mariam Odinaka Onuoha (Imo, South East); Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Defence, Abubakar Makki Yalleman (Jigawa-North West) and returning member who was part of the 8th Assembly, Sani Jaji (Zamfara-North West).
Others are Chinedu Ogah from Ebonyi and Kabiru Ibrahim Tukura from Kebbi, who had earlier indicated interest.
House Leader Alhassan Ado Doguwa is also believed to be interested in the race, but he appears to be waiting for the party’s decision on zoning before announcing his declaration.
Sources said the number may increase in view of the ongoing coalition talks by the opposition parties which have about 186 Representatives-Elect following the death of a new member yesterday.
According to a source, one of the strategies of the coalition is to present a joint candidate for the Office of Speaker based on a projection that the 13 APC aspirants may split their votes.
The source said Representative-Elect, Abdulmumin Jibrin of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), who was Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, may emerge the candidate of the opposition for the post of Speaker.
The top source said: “We are studying the situation and at APC level doing some permutations which may lead to zoning. It is not as easy as the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, is saying.
“Unlike in the 8th and 9th National Assembly, 13 heavyweight aspirants want to be the next Speaker. The party is adopting a cautious approach to its zoning formula in order to get it right.
“And what is making it complex is that 284 out of the 360 members that will determine the next Speaker are first time lawmakers in the House. The implication is that the race is likely to be an open type.
“It may be difficult for APC leadership to breathe down on the new Representatives. And the old ones who can provide guidance are not many.
“For instance, only 45 APC House members returned and 25 PDP House members re-elected. Out of the returning lawmakers, 13 want to be Speaker.
“Already, there is intense lobbying of the Representatives-Elect by aspirants with war chest. We may have a repeat of the Bukola Saraki episode of 2015 if we are not proactive.
“The tussle for National Assembly principal offices by the North-West and the North-Central is posing a threat to the choice of a new Speaker.
“The North-West is seeking the slot for its role in supporting Tinubu. But the North-Central, which has never produced a Speaker, is stronger in its agitation with Ahmed Idris Wase (Plateau-North Central); Chairman, House Committee on Navy, Yusuf Adamu Gagdi (Plateau, North Central); and the Chairman, House Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness, Abdulraheem Olawuyi (Kwara, North Central).
“Wase, who stepped down for Gbajabiamila in 2019, is pressing for the honouring of the alleged unwritten agreement to concede the slot to the North-Central.
“To checkmate Wase, some forces are backing Yusuf Adamu Gagdi who is rated as the most vibrant aspirant with six of his bills signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Everyone is looking forward to the President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is a foremost parliamentarian, to break the tie at the end of the day.”
Responding to a question, the source said the “likelihood of a coalition” by the opposition parties may deny APC of producing the next Speaker.
He said: “We may witness the USA scenario of a Democrat President and a Republican House Speaker.
“From the situation room, the figures are as follows: APC – 170; PDP – 115; LP – 37; NNPP – 25; APGA – 4; ADC – 2; SDP – 2; and YPP – 1
“APC has four unaccounted for. While results have been announced, we’re not including those because INEC hasn’t uploaded their names in its database.
“To produce Speaker, you need the votes of 181 Representatives, but APC is not united. It may be difficult for it to secure 181 unless it gets its zoning formula right.
“With Vice President-Elect, there is no basis for Betara’s aspiration. But his supporters are citing the case of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila from the South-West.
“Already, the opposition is covertly wooing some of the 284 new members with sentiments, including religious factor. This is a dangerous dimension.
“The party’s leadership ought to rise to the occasion by consulting President Muhammadu Buhari, the President-Elect, governors and members-elect. APC must beware of the antics of the opposition.”
Asked why Gbajabiamila has not been able to reduce the number of aspirants, the source added: “The Speaker is playing the role of a mediator. He has succeeded in meeting with the aspirants to appeal to them not to bring down the roof.
“His intervention has so far reduced the tension among the aspirants, because it was almost getting dirty at a stage.”
