What would have been a consensus in the build-up to the race for
Speakership of the House of Representatives monday hit the brick wall as
there was no clear-cut agreement between the potential parties- Hon.
Femi Gbajabiamila (APC, Lagos) and Hon. Abdul-Mumini Jibrin (APC, Kano).
The latter, until yesterday when stories about his decison to step down
to run as deputy to the former, was one of the nine contenders for the
numero uno position.
As this development unfolded, a group of legislators under the aegis of
The Patriots, monday reiterated that it would back any of the
candidates with the requisite experience to run the eighth assembly of
the House.
But in a sudden volte face, perhaps informed by powerful lobby from
some interest groups in his North-West geo-political zone, who are of
the view that the zone should be represented in the caucus of the All
Progressives Congress (APC), suggested that Jibrin should team up with
Gbajabiamila.
The argument of the group is that although Gen. Muhammadu Buhari is
from the North-West, he is now a representative of the entire country
and by virtue of this the area should get a befitting presence in the
caucus by getting one of the six topmost jobs in the country.
Emboldened by this thrust, Jibrin, THISDAY learnt yesterday, reached out to Gbajabiamila on Sunday asking him to be part of a media briefing at which he (Jibrin) would announce that he has stepped down from the race in support of the Lagos politician.
Emboldened by this thrust, Jibrin, THISDAY learnt yesterday, reached out to Gbajabiamila on Sunday asking him to be part of a media briefing at which he (Jibrin) would announce that he has stepped down from the race in support of the Lagos politician.
However, supporters of Gbajabiamila, THISDAY gathered, prevailed on him
not to be part of the briefing as it would only lend credence to
Jibrin’s likely future claims of having overwhelming support in the
green chamber, which he made available to Gbajabiamila.
“It may also give Jibrin the confidence to make demands on Gbajabiamila
in case the latter becomes the Speaker,” a source at the Sunday meeting
told our correspondent.
“To be candid with you, we from the North were the ones that advised
Gbajabiamila to stay away from Jibrin’s press parley. We told him
(Gbajabiamila) that we are in support of the proposed zoning formula,
which gives the position of Deputy Speaker to the North-east and not
North-West,” the source explained.
He also added: “Jibrin wants to use our support base to enhance his ambition; and we will not key into that.”
The press briefing scheduled by Jibrin was put off twice yesterday for no known reasons. The House of Representatives correspondents who were invited to the event departed and converged again at the request of the organisers. But it didn’t hold.
The press briefing scheduled by Jibrin was put off twice yesterday for no known reasons. The House of Representatives correspondents who were invited to the event departed and converged again at the request of the organisers. But it didn’t hold.
Meanwhile, The Patriots, a multi-party group of returning and new
lawmakers, made their position on who they will elect as Speaker as
somebody with an outstanding record of legislative experience and the
courage to steer the House in the right direction.
Abdul-Rahman Namdas, a spokesperson of the group, who is also a
member-elect from Adamawa State, told our correspondent that their
concern about the House is beyond who becomes the next Speaker. “The
issue is not just about leadership. The group will continue to even
after the leadership has emerged.
He insisted that there is wisdom in allowing a ranking member to lead the eighth assembly.
In a rejoinder, the PDP Lagos State Chapter, in a statement signed by Taofik Gani and made available to THISDAY, described the purported sack of Shelle, as “laughable, null and void.”
The statement asked members to disregard the said sack, and also admonished those behind it to “retrace their steps.”
The party insisted that Shelle and the present state executive had delivered the “best unprecedented” electoral result to the party.
“It is therefore very irrational for any persons to provoke acrimony in the party by claiming that the state chairman has not performed to warrant continuing in office.”
The party also faulted the modus operandi employed in sacking Shelle, saying it offended the provisions of the party’s constitution on the sack of a state chairman.
“The state chairman is a member of NEC and can only be removed or suspended by the consent of the NEC. There is no NEC approval to the action. It thus stands, null and void.”
The statement ended by saying that, “For the sake of clarity, Shelle remains the legitimate chairman of PDP in the state. All dealings with the party in the state should be through him.
In a rejoinder, the PDP Lagos State Chapter, in a statement signed by Taofik Gani and made available to THISDAY, described the purported sack of Shelle, as “laughable, null and void.”
The statement asked members to disregard the said sack, and also admonished those behind it to “retrace their steps.”
The party insisted that Shelle and the present state executive had delivered the “best unprecedented” electoral result to the party.
“It is therefore very irrational for any persons to provoke acrimony in the party by claiming that the state chairman has not performed to warrant continuing in office.”
The party also faulted the modus operandi employed in sacking Shelle, saying it offended the provisions of the party’s constitution on the sack of a state chairman.
“The state chairman is a member of NEC and can only be removed or suspended by the consent of the NEC. There is no NEC approval to the action. It thus stands, null and void.”
The statement ended by saying that, “For the sake of clarity, Shelle remains the legitimate chairman of PDP in the state. All dealings with the party in the state should be through him.
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