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The choice for the speakership seat of the 10th House of Representatives ahead of inauguration on 13th June has divided the minority caucus in the House as a faction named minority parties forum on Monday night adopted Tajudeen Abass (Kaduna) and Benjamin Kalu (Abia), the All Progressive Congress (APC) endorsed candidates for the speaker and deputy.
This came some hours after the minority caucus code named ‘greater majority’ going by its number of 182 said it met with all the speakership aspirants who were found worthy but details would be announced later after proper briefing.
However, the minority parties forum at the meeting attended by 68 members settled for Abass and Kalu sequel to a motion moved by Tijani Abdulkadir (NNPP-Kano) and seconded by Agbodike Pascal (APGA-Anambra).
While reading the communique’, leader of the forum, Iduma Igariwey (PDP-Ebonyi) affirmed the adoption of the APC backed lawmakers for speaker and deputy speaker.
According to him “We, the members of the under listed political parties elected into the 10th Assembly of the House of Representatives, having reviewed the number and composition of the 10th Assembly and having considered the need for the minority parties to play an effective, crucial, and credible role in the composition of the leadership and running of the 10th Assembly hereby resolve as follows:
“That we will be united and focused on the primary responsibility of the minority parties in the 10th Assembly, which is to provide a vibrant and credible Opposition in Parliament for the entrenchment of good governance in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“That we will severally and jointly work for the passage of laws and motions, which will promote the prosperity and wellbeing of Nigerians and advance the civil liberties and benefits entrenched in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“That in furtherance of our resolve to play a leading role in the formation of the leadership of the 10th Assembly and as a result of our diligent interactions with all aspirants for the position of Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, we hereby resolve to support the duo of Tajudeen Abbas and Benjamin Kalu respectively as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“That we have found in the two persons of Tajudeen Abbas and Benjamin Kalu, a leadership that will allow for fairness, equity as well as provide equal platform for all political parties represented in Parliament to have a say in the running of the legislature and expression of alternate views on issues of public interest.
“That in the next few days we will be meeting in a larger caucus of the minority parties to discuss and formalise the adoption of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker designates of the 10th Assembly of the House of Representatives.”
On the other hand, Afam Ogene, the co-spokesperson of ‘greater majority’ also at a meeting in Abuja said a committee set up by the caucus met with APC speakership aspirants and all of them seemed to be qualified for position.
He promised that the details of the meeting with the aspirants will not be divulged yet until other members are briefed.
“We did met with those aspiring for the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives, but because we have not briefed our members, I will not go into details of our interface.
“But I can assure you everyone that put him or herself running for the position appears to be qualified”.