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  • Speakership: North-West group endorses Gbajabiamila

    The North-West Democratic Front has openly endorsed the bid by Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila to become the Speaker of the House of Representatives in the 9th Assembly.

    Making the endorsement known in a statement signed by its Chairman, Abubakar Ainu, a former Sokoto state chairman of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), the Group observed however said that, Mr. Gbajabiamila would need the support of a strong deputy.

    He said, in line with the commitment of the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership to rewarding loyalty and integrity, Mr. Gbajabiamila would make a great Speaker and the House would be dynamic if he is backed by an equally loyal, strong and experienced member such as Alhaji Musa Sarkin Adar.

    According to the statement, “On behalf of the people of the North-west, we hereby endorse the declaration of Femi Gbajabiamila to run for office of the Speaker of the 9th Assembly.

    “Our endorsement is in line with the spirit of members of the House which was displayed when Gbajabiamila, the House Leader and five time legislator, (APC-Lagos), made his formal declaration on the 31st of March and was accompanied during his official press release by returning and new members, who were over 100 in number.

    “We are also convinced by Gbajabiamila’s pledge to mentor the next generation and unite the nation which informs our recommendation for Sarkin Adar, another strong nationalist to be made Deputy Speaker,” The group said.

    While commending the stand of the APC on rewarding loyalty, the Group said Gbajabiamila and Sarkin Adar are not only core party loyalists but competent, tested representatives of proven integrity, honesty and experience as well.

    Shedding light on their choice for Sarkin Adar as deputy, the Group said he is one of the rarest unapologetic believers in the grand ideals of President Buhari who has not for once contemplated any distrustful act nor played against party principles, objectives and standpoint on any issue.

    The Group noted that Musa Sarkin Adar who represents Goronyo/Gada Federal Constituency of Sokoto state would make a competent deputy for Mr. Gbajabiamila who is eminently favoured by the APC for the speakership.

    Read Also: ‘Gbajabiamila best choice for Speaker’

    Recounting some of the qualities that inform their preference for Sarkin Adar, the Group said, prior to his becoming a member of the federal legislature, he has made commendable mark as Director in the Governor’s Office, Sokoto state and at the Nigerian Ports Authority where he was Personnel Manager.

    “In the 2007 elections, he contested for the House of Representatives seat and won and got re-elected in 2011,” the Group said and pointed out that he spearheaded the historic move against the imposition of a Speaker in 2011 by the then ruling party.

    “He also made the nomination for Emeka Ihedioha as the deputy speaker on the floor of the house and the nomination was seconded by Hon Kumo.

    “In the 2015 elections, he re-contested on the platform of the APC and won,” the Group said, adding that he was Chairman, House Committee on Electoral Matters in the 6th Assembly and Chairman House Committee on Land Transport in the 7th Assembly.

  • Speakership: Gbajabiamila, Monguno move to consolidate support

    Speakership: Gbajabiamila, Monguno move to consolidate support

    •Lasun drops ambition for Lagos Rep 

    THE Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, and Mohammad Monguno have intensified efforts at garnering maximum support for their House leadership bids.

    This is as one of the contenders for the House Speakership, Yussuf Suleiman Lasun (Osun), dropped out of the race in support of Gbajabiamila.

    Three contenders for the Speakership have stepped down in favour of the Minority Leader.

    The campaign team of the two lawmakers yesterday said its intention was to consolidate on the gains it has made with the lawmakers already.

    Consequently, the team, it was gathered, has designed plans aimed at winning over members that were yet to make up their minds as well as those supporting other candidates.

    According to a source, the team was more emboldened to approach its objectives due to the widespread support the two contenders are enjoying.

    “The Gbajabiamila/Monguno ticket has the support of more than 80 out of the 92 members from the Northwest, while 40 members-elect from the Northeast have declared their support for the duo.

    “In the Northcentral, 80 per cent of the lawmakers there are for them. Majority of lawmakers from the Southwest have already endorsed the Gbajabiamila/Monguno ticket.

    “Our efforts now is to get more members from the Southsouth and Southeast.

    “You know Gbajabiamila is well-accepted among our colleagues, and Monguno too is a very popular lawmaker. So, what we want to do between now and next week is to intensify our campaign so that we will get members on our side,” he said.

    However, Lasun, who was earlier being touted as deputy to one of the aspirants, in a statement yesterday, said his decision to step down was as a result of the support Gbajabiamila enjoys from party leaders and members from the Southwest.

    He, however, stated that the experience of being Minority Leader has adequately prepared Gbajabiamila for the position of Speaker.

    The statement reads: “With or without zoning arrangement at the party level, I went ahead to declare my interest to contest the position of the Speaker.

    “I have gone round to engage with individual members and groups to realise this ambition.

    “But recent events have shown that the party leaders, particularly from the Southwest, have decided on the candidacy of Gbajabiamila to run for the position of Speaker.

    “As a loyal party man, I cannot do otherwise. I, Hon Yusuf Suleiman Lasun, therefore support the candidacy of Gbajabiamila.

    “I also promise to work assiduously in the coming days for the realisation if thus objective.”

  • Lagos speakership: Agunbiade steps down, solicits support as deputy speaker

    Lagos speakership: Agunbiade steps down, solicits support as deputy speaker

    One of the major contenders for the position of Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Sanai Agunbiade, has stepped down from the race.

    According to him, he would now vie for the position of Deputy Speaker.

    Agunbiade, who represents Ikorodu 1 constituency, has written to both returning members and the new comers to intimate them of his decision and to solicit their support for his new aspiration.

    In the letter titled, ‘I humbly seek your consideration, acceptance and support,’ the lawmaker said the motive of his intent “transcends personal ambition, but firmly entrenched in my passion for a virile and effective legislature of all time.

    He added, “My credentials for this request are rooted in my previous leadership experience garnered over the years and nurtured by the capacities in which I have served as leader of men. My records of leadership, with peaceful, rational and remarkable accomplishments in the past are all verifiable.

    “Our choice of leadership for the 8th Assembly should not be guided by sentiment of attachment, but be guided by our dream and expectations for the next four years as legislators. I am sure we all desire an Assembly we could all have a sense of belonging and be exceptionally proud of; an Assembly that can stoutly stand in defence of each and every member more than ever before.”

    Speaking on his decision to step down from the speakership race with our correspondent, the lawmaker said with the new governor, Akinwunmi Ambode from the Lagos East senatorial zone like him, it would be difficult to convince his colleagues to back his ambition.

    In a related development, a non-governmental group, Change Alliance Leadership has urged the leadership of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to consider competence and experience in deciding on the next speaker of the Lagos Assembly.

    Speaking with newsmen at the weekend, the Coordinator of the group, Princess Olabanji Folashade-Oba, noted that a competent and experienced must be supported to emerge as the new Speaker in order to ensure the ongoing transformation in the Assembly is sustained.

    The group called on all stakeholders to support the election of the current Deputy Chief Whip of the House, Rotimi Abiru as the next Speaker, saying that the lawmaker possesses the qualities needed to surpass the achievements of the outgoing Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, and take the House to the next level.

     

  • Speakership: Over 230 Reps support Gbajabiamila/Monguno ticket

    A member-elect from Bauchi State, Dr. Mohammed Sani Abdu, has said over 230 members-elect for the 8th House of Representatives are supporting the candidature of Femi Gbajabiamila and Mohammed Tahir Monguno as Speaker and Deputy Speaker.

    Dr. Abdu, who spoke with reporters in Abuja yesterday, said in terms of qualification and acceptance, “only Gbajabiamila and Monguno fit the bill to be the Speaker and Deputy Speaker”.

    His words: “I know that Femi is a very big veteran in the House. Everybody knows him and how thorough he has worked consciously for the opposition with all his knowledge, power and everything. I’m sure over 230 people of 360 members have endorsed Femi for the speakership, and we’re still counting.

    “Majority of the PDP members, who are pledging behind the line, are waiting for their house to be in order. If not, they will all come into our camp.”

    On why Monguno should be considered for either the position of Speaker or deputy, Abdu said Monguno first came into the House in 1992, and hence possessed experience, knowledge and stability.

    According to him, in the Northeast, the Gbajabiamila/Monguno ticket has support from 40 of the 48 members-elect, adding:  “In Bauchi alone, we have 10 of the 12 members.”

  • Speakership: Reps PDP caucus denies endorsing candidates

    Speakership: Reps PDP caucus denies endorsing candidates

    THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Caucus in the House of Representatives has denied endorsing any candidate in the ongoing tussle for the position of Speaker of the 8th House.

    In a statement titled: “No Rush in Choice of Next Speaker: PDP Has Not Endorsed Anyone” by a member, Teejay Yusuf (PDP Kogi), the lawmakers described speculations that they had endorse a candidate “as untrue, invalid and hasty”.

    The statement reads in part: “Our attention has been drawn to speculations that the PDP House of Representatives’ Caucus has endorsed one of the candidates seeking the speakership  position in the yet-to-be-convened 8th National Assembly.

    “It must be noted that at the moment, we have not thrown in our lot with any aspirant in view of ongoing efforts to listen to and evaluate each one of them on the basis of valid and relevant parameters as determined by the PDP House of Representatives Caucus.

    “Such hasty and invalid speculations appear to have been given some mileage by the lone voice of one of our members, who recently expressed sentiments in favour of one of the candidates. We hereby unequivocally state that our caucus has not endorsed anyone for the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives.

    “The wild and premature speculations now making the rounds over our purported endorsement or otherwise for any of the aspirants for the position of Speaker necessitate that we make the following clarifications as a body:

    “The PDP House of Representatives’ Members-Elect Caucus remains determined to play its opposition role with clear focus on and mission to sustain Nigeria’s democracy while exercising a dynamic presence in the polity.”

    The caucus said while it is in the process of granting audience to all Speakership aspirants, who have been seeking to brief its members on their vision, positions and plans for the House of Representatives, it would be unwavering in its commitment to the Nigerian project.

    The lawmakers added: “Our decision to support an aspirant for the position of Speaker when the House of Representatives convenes early next month would be done without prejudice to national interests and the long-term concern of all stakeholders.”

  • Speakership: Jibrin lobbies new Reps-elect

    Speakership: Jibrin lobbies new Reps-elect

    One of the aspirants for the post of the Speaker of House of Representatives, Abdulmumin Jibrin, has taken his case to 200 newly elected members of the House.

    In a letter to the lawmakers, the aspirant pledged to give the new members 75 per cent of committee chairmen and deputy chairmen positions.

    It was the second letter Jibrin would write to his colleagues in the House.

    The lawmaker, who heads the House Committee on Finance, in his new letter pledged to give special attention to the new members.

    He said: “The focus of this letter is to give some details of the special attention I intend to give to you First Term Members. I have carefully observed that all other aspirants have shown little attention to this new group of dynamic incoming members.

    “A key way to deepen the change is to effectively integrate you into the activities of the House, share experience with you, discuss your welfare as most of you are coming in with family and need to quickly settle down to the task ahead, but most importantly, put you in position of authority to bring in your fresh ideas and expertise in running the activities of the House.

    “To this end, if you elect me Speaker, I pledge to hand over 75 per cent of the total positions (committee chairs and deputies) in the House to First Term Members. It means 75 per cent of the positions allocated to each state will go to First Term Members. To do this, I will have to step on toes. But if this will usher in the change and fresh ideas we crave for our dear country, so be it,” he said.

    The lawmaker said the newly elected members have the numerical strength that they could determine who becomes the next Speaker and advised them not to “waste it”.

    “Do not allow yourselves to be relegated to the background. Do not allow yourselves to be used only as numbers to be counted in votes for aspirants that do not appreciate your individual potentials and your fresh ideas. I urge you to unite and take charge! We are all equals!” he said.

  • We’ve not endorsed any Speakership aspirant – PDP Caucus

    The Peoples Democratic Party caucus in the House of Representatives on Monday said it has not endorsed any Speakership aspirant.

    Leader of the caucus, Hon. Leo Ogor, in a chat with journalists, said out of those aspiring to become the speaker of the 8th House, the caucus had not endorse any candidate.

    He said they would elect a Speaker based on transparency, accountability and impeccable integrity.

    Ahead of the June 6 inauguration of the 8th Assembly, six lawmakers are vying for the country’s number four position.

    They are – Hon Femi Gbajabiamila (APC, Lagos) who is presently the Minority Leader, Hon. Yakubu Dogara (APC, Bauchi); Hon. Pally Iriase (APC, Edo) and Hon. Abdulmunmin Jibrin (APC, Kano).

    Others are – Burka Goni (APC, Yobe) and Hon. Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno).

    Ogor said: “There is nothing like endorsing anybody for Christ sake. First and foremost, you know I am a returnee and I lead the caucus in the House at the moment. I will tell you that there we have not heard any meeting with Dogara neither have we start discussing anything with him.

    “We are going to elect a Speaker that is going to be based on transparency, accountability and a Speaker we know definitely well that we will speak for all of us. We cannot sit down and automatically endorse somebody. It is not done that way.

    “Let me also point to one funny thing in the House. They don’t want a scenario where somebody dictates for them. You saw what happened during the Tambuwal era. It is not different. So my appeal is to allow the House choose the candidate so that we don’t end up picking a wrong candidate out of annoyance.”

  • Speakership: APC leaders’ decision will be final- Famurewa

    Speakership: APC leaders’ decision will be final- Famurewa

    ONE of the contenders for the position of Speaker of the 8th Assembly of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ajibola Famurewa, has dismissed media reports that he was going ahead with his ambition with or without the support of leaders of his party, All Progressives Congress (APC), in the South West.

    In a telephone chat with our correspondent, the lawmaker said he has been endorsed by some of his colleagues from the north for the seat, but appealed to his supporters to exercise restraint in the manner they carry out their campaign on his behalf. He, however, added that he would abide by the decision of his party on the matter.

    He said: “As a party person, I have leaders both at the state and zonal levels, and I have to wait on the party’s decision on the zoning arrangement. Even if the Speakership position is zoned to our zone (South West) and the leaders say no, we prefer my brother, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, as a core progressive who has imbibed the norms and values of the movement, I will bow to their wishes. Not only that, I would equally mobilise all my supporters to rally round the party’s preferred candidate.

    “At the senatorial and state level, Governor Rauf Aregbesola will determine who gets what, while the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, holds sway for whatever position in this region. Do you think I will raise an eyelid against the decision of these two experienced men? That is not possible! They are my political leaders, who I hold in very high esteem.”

    Famurewa, who is a member of the House Committee on Diaspora, argued that the major challenge before the 8th Assembly is far beyond the issue of zoning of positions, saying that part of the core values of its mission is to ensure that it refocuses the nation’s foreign policy in order to stop the maltreatment of Nigerians in foreign lands.

    He said, “We must re-address our foreign policies so that Nigerians outside the shores of the country would not be subjected to slavery like we just witnessed in South Africa and Indonesia. We must collectively work together to ensure we bring sanity and discipline back to the system.

    “We must, as a matter of urgency, boost the power generation, so our teeming unemployed youths can get jobs when new and collapsed companies come on stream. Our economy must be rejuvenated and infrastructure all over the country must be functional to the extent that the common man will know that government exists.”

     

  • Tejuoso declares interest in Lagos speakership

    Tejuoso declares interest in Lagos speakership

    …Lawyers urge Agunbiade to run 

    A former Deputy Speaker of the Lagos state House of Assembly, Mrs. Funmilayo Tejuoso, has declared her interest to become the next Speaker when the 8th Assembly is inaugurated in June.

    The four-term lawmaker, who said she is the most qualified for the job, further told a gathering of her colleagues in Lagos that in terms of ranking, legal practice and experience, she is better placed above the other contenders to take the House to the next level.

    She said: “I have been the Deputy Chief Whip and the Deputy Speaker of this House. I am a fourth term legislator in the 8th Assembly scheduled to commence in June 2015 and the only legislator that has served as a principal officer in two capacities particularly as Deputy Speaker among all of us aspiring to be the Speaker.

    “As Deputy Speaker then, I acted as the Speaker at various times. I have equally served in several committees including Finance, Women Affairs, Education, Budget, Judiciary and Works among others. Presently, I am the most senior legislator in the forthcoming Assembly, having served in those principal positions.”

    Tejuoso said that apart from her long service in the House, she has also been a committed and loyal party member, having functioned in different capacities, including member, Gubernatorial Advisory Committee (GAC) and Convener, APC Presidential and Gubernatorial Candidates’ Town Hall meeting with Nigerian Women in the South-West, which took place in Lagos.

    “I am the only female aspirant and believe that in the spirit of change that our party canvasses, it is only logical and fair that Lagos too enjoys the benefit of a female speaker for the first time in the history of the state, similar feat having been achieved in states like Ogun, Oyo and Ondo.

    “Furthermore, in terms of the quality of votes for my party’s candidates in the last general elections, my local government came first as against all other aspirants. If there should be any compensation for hard work, I believe my local government deserves to be compensated with this position.”

    In a related development, a body of legal practitioners under the auspices of Lagos Lawyers for Good Goverance (LLGG) has called another member of the Lagos House, Sanai Agunbiade, to vie for the speakership position.

    Speaking when its leadership paid a courtesy visit to the lawmaker, the group through its Coordinator, Barrister Dayo Awodun, said the next House of Assembly in the state needs a tested and trusted democrat as the Speaker in order to fulfill its core mandate.

    LLGG called on all members-elect to consider the overall interest of the state by ensuring that they elect reliable and capable hands to pilot the affairs of the House in the next dispensation.

    “Agunbiade is a third term lawmaker and a tested democrat and experienced parliamentarian. It is very important for the House to put a tested and confirmed crisis manager in charge of the House as Speaker. In fact, every other leadership position in the Assembly must also be manned by people who can complement the efforts of the helmsman at all times. This is why we are calling on him to put himself forward as a candidate for the position of Speaker,” Awodun said

    Responding, Agunbiade, who also received members of the League of Journalists, Ikorodu (LJI), who came to felicitate with him on his re-election said, “Well, I pray that God would guide us right. I share your views as I would expect that the leadership of the new dispensation should be good crisis managers and also able to anticipate crisis of opinions, ideas and perceptions.”