The Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Idris Wase and Sani Jaji who are vying for the seat were conspicuously absent from the meeting convened by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with the All Progressives Congress (APC) senators-elect, members-elect, APC governors and leaders of the party over leadership election issues.
This is as the inauguration of the 10th Assembly draws closer.
The meeting was held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Wednesday night after the winding down of the 9th Assembly earlier in the day.
Aspirants for the Speakership, Muktar Betara, Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, Miriam Onuoha and Sada Soli attended the meeting.
It was gathered that the President appealed to the lawmakers to support the candidates endorsed by his party for the leadership positions at the Senate and House of Representatives.
He spoke on the need for the APC lawmakers to work for the victory of the APC’s candidates for the 10th NASS leadership.
The President therefore urged them to work for the emergence of Akpabio, Barau Abbas, and Kalu saying that, the candidates were chosen by the party for the stability of the nation.
He further reiterated that the success of his administration depends on whether or not he gets it right with the leadership of the National Assembly.
A returning member-elect who attended the meeting, Engineer Sani Bala (APC, Kano) said, the meeting was short and straight to the point.
He said, the President was emphatic on what he wants the lawmakers to do, which is to support the candidates of the party in the Senate and House of Representatives to assume the leadership of the incoming 10th National Assembly.
“It was done in 40 minutes. The President was clear, he urged us to unite and work for the party’s candidates. The party chairman and others that spoke at the meeting reiterated the same call for us to forge a common front.
“They both told us the fact that, if we don’t unite, we may end up having a divided Assembly which will not augur well for the President and the nation. That was what happened at the meeting we held with the President,” he said.
It could be recalled that the party had endorsed Abbas Tajuddeen and Benjamin Kalu as candidates for Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively.
The party also endorsed Senator Godswill Akpabio and Senator Barau Jibrin as Senate President and Deputy respectively.
However, other aspirants for the Speakership seat kicked against it, leading to the formation of G7 group.
The group consist of the Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Idris Wase, Mukhtar Aliyu Betara,Yusuf Adamu Gagdi,Sada Soli Jibia,Miriam Onuoha,Aminu Sani Jaji,Alhassan Ado Doguwa and Abubakar Makki Yelleman.
However, Alhassan Ado Doguwa and Abubakar Makki Yelleman have stepped down for the APC candidates
Daily Trust
