On Wednesday, during plenary, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, and the Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase, had a heated exchange of words. This came after Gbajabiamila recommended Tajudeen Abbas and Benjamin Kalu for Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the 10th House, which led to their endorsement by the ruling All Progressives Congress. Wase is a member of the G-7, which intended to adopt a member to run against the party’s candidate.
Miffed by Gbajabiamila’s announcement that the sitting would close by 2 pm to enable members to attend an event at the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, Wase said, “Those who have the interest to go, they have the right to. But our main primary function in this parliament is to make law and our citizens should be our priority.” Gbajabiamila replied, “Perhaps, DS, you don’t appreciate the importance of NILDS like some of us do,” adding, “I will witness the NILDS because it is important to me.”
Earlier, our correspondent had reported that the relationship between the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker had gone from bad to worse, as Wase was allegedly shunning meetings and interactions with Gbajabiamila.
On the other hand, 63 members-elect of the 10th House of Representatives in opposition parties have endorsed the anointed candidates of the ruling APC, Tajudeen Abbas and Benjamin Kalu, for Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively. The spokesman for the Coalition of United Political Parties, Ikenga Ugochinyere announced the endorsement, calling on “my colleague members-elect who are still in the race to stop and join the prefect of the class, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, to steer the ship of the 10th Assembly to beat the records of the other Houses in performance and achievement for Nigeria.”
Ikenga Ugochiner, who led 62 other members-elect in minority political parties, also revealed that “Our common goal now should be beyond party and partisan politics and totally focused on Nigeria and her greater good. We want the best, and we have selected the best, and importantly, the selection is by merit.”
Abbas has all the needed qualities to be the next Speaker of the House, according to the CUPP spokesman. He added that “21 of those bills have been signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari.”
