The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives and one of the contenders for the position of Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has increased the tempo of his campaign for the position by setting up mobilization committees, saddled with the responsibility of reaching out to state caucuses to woo more lawmakers to his side.
Gbajamiala, APC, Lagos, is considered one contestant to beat in the race for the speakership of the House of Representatives but he is equally up against strong opponents who are eyeing the seat. They include the Chairman, Committee on House Services, Mr. Yakubu Dogara , APC, Bauchi, Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Constituency Outreach, Mr. Pally Iriase, APC, Edo, Chairman, Committee on Agriculture, Mr. Mohammed Monguno, Borno, APC and Chairman, Committee on Finance, Mr. Abdulmumin Jibrin, APC, Kano.
There were insinuations that the All Progressives Congress, APC, had zoned the position of Speaker to the South West where Gbajabiamila comes from, but the party has kept a sealed lips on the matter, practically suggesting that it may be having hard times deciding on it zoning arrangement.
Dogara, Iriase and Monguno have all intensified their quest and making the alleged zoning arrangement a threatened one.
Speaking on the alleged zoning, Hon. Iriase cautioned the APC not to “go against the Federal Character Principle” enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, insisting that that the seat should be zoned to the South-South “for the purpose of geo-political balancing.”
According to Iriase, the APC will be going against the Federal Character principle if its zoning ruled out the South-South.
“I don’t wish my party a replay of the Peoples Democratic Party scenario in 2011.
“If the zoning is equitable and fair, members may not want to rock the boat of the APC.”
He described himself as the only one that has the necessary administrative experience among the aspirants, promising to run a transparent leadership, fight corruption and ensure prudent management of resources.
According to a Punch report, The Gbajabiamila arrowheads in some state are Mr. Rufai Chanchangi for Kaduna State, Mr. Abdulahi Balarabe for Sokoto State, Khadijah Ibrahim for Yobe and Bolarinwa White for Ondo State, amongst others.
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