Former Minister of State for Information and Communication, Ibrahim Nakande, has appealed to elected members of the House of Representatives from the North Central to adopt the Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Idris Wase, as consensus candidate for the position of Speaker in the 10th Assembly.
According to Nakandze, with the North Central positioned for the Speaker’s seat, Reps from the zone should not be seen fighting among themselves but should adopt a consensus candidate for unity.
He said the choice should be determined by ranking, merit and experience, for the zone to be taken seriously in its quest to occupy the speakership position.
The former minister, who is a chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State, said: “Wase has come a long way,” rising from a Committee Chairman to Deputy House Leader and now Deputy Speaker.
ALSO, Progressives Congress Equity and Justice Forum in North Central has appealed to the conscience of APC leadership, including National Working Committee (NWC), to consider Wase for the speakership of the 10th National Assembly.
Addressing journalists yesterday at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Jos, Plateau State, Chairman of the group, Nuhu Shikdima, and Secretary, Ahmadu Babanrabi, said Wase used his God-given position to support governance in his state and, at all times, recognising the governor as the party leader in his state.
“These and many more attributes of Wase, capped with his geographical placement as a legislator from the North Central, puts him at vintage position to present himself for the leadership of the House of Representatives. This aspiration is not a departure from the fact that North Central has not at any given time produced the Speaker, while the North East had produced speakers at different instances.
“Our appeal goes with the fact that North Central needs a reliable, high ranking, loyal party man, a man with the national linkages and an experienced legislator that will bring his wealth of knowledge and experience to bear for good governance.
“As a group, we would like to, as a matter of concern, appeal to the national chairman of our great party and his entire executive council to consider our passionate appeal for the emergence of Wase as the Speaker of the 10th Assembly.”
