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Speakership: Reps minority caucus parleys Obi, Kwankwaso on choice of Gbajabiamila successor

By Adamu Abuh, Abuja
23 May 2023   |   10:05 am
The minority caucus of the House of Representatives has met with the presidential candidate of the labour party (LP), Mr Peter Obi as part of the ongoing effort to select from among the deluge of aspirants jostling to preside over the affairs of the lower legislative chamber.

House of Representatives. Photo/FACEBOOK/SPEAKERGBAJA

The minority caucus of the House of Representatives has met with the presidential candidate of the labour party (LP), Mr Peter Obi as part of the ongoing effort to select from among the deluge of aspirants jostling to preside over the affairs of the lower legislative chamber.

The Caucus led by Mr Fred Agbedi also disclosed that the group also met with the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Engr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

Agbedi who made this known during the 4th general meeting of the lawmakers held yesterday at the Transcorp Hilton Abuja explained that the parley with the duo was in tandem with the ongoing consultations with critical stakeholders in the polity on the choice of the next Speaker of the House.

Faulting the notions held in certain quarters that the caucus had adopted one of the Speakership aspirants, he disclosed that the caucus had constituted states and zonal coordinators to reach out to enable members to consult widely with their political leaders across the Federation on the matter.

The Bayelsa-born lawmaker explained that the resolve by the caucus which style itself as the “greater majority” to have a say on the next Speaker of the House was aimed at deepening democracy in the country.

Said he: “We need to interact with our leaders. As your convener, I can confidently tell you that we have not adopted anybody as your presiding officer yet. That would only take place when agreement has been reached by all of us.

“Before we get to that decision, I should be able to speak with my governor and party leaders so that whatever I key into is with their understanding. We expect all of us to do the same so that we don’t ambush each other. I promise you we will lead ourselves to arrive at a collective decision.

Agbedi reiterated the resolve by the caucus to organise a retreat for the lawmakers schedule to hold in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state at the end of the month as part of strategies to fine-tune the decision on their preferred choice for the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The deputy speaker, Ahmed Wase, the chairman House Committee on Appropriation, Muktar Aliyu Betara, the chairman of the House Committee on Navy, Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, Sada Soli, Aminu Sani Jaji, Miriam Onuoha are up against Dr Tajudeen Abass, the preferred candidate of the President-Elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ruling All progressive congress (APC).

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