With the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) yet to take a formal stance on zoning of leadership positions in the 10th National Assembly, gladiators have continued to make their moves, some openly and others behind the scenes.
The National Chairman of the APC Senator Abdullahi Adamu had, a day after the governorship and state assembly elections, denied media reports that the party had zone any leadership position in the 10th National Assembly.
The National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Felix Morka, had also described stories of zoning arrangements as false and misleading, noting that “As soon as a decision is made on zoning, it will be made public through the party’s official communication channel.”
According to reports, the party may be awaiting the return of President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu who is slated to visit France, United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia (for lesser Hajj).
So the delay has given room to aspirants from various zones to try their luck. Dateline Nigeria reports that for the position of House of Representatives Speaker, no fewer than nine members-elect are jostling for the coveted seat.
The APC will need clear majority. A total of 35 House of Representatives seat are scheduled to be decided on April 15 along with two governorship, 11 senatorial and 98 House of Assembly positions.
Out of the 325 seats already decided, APC has 162 members-elect, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has 102; Labour Party (LP) 34, New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) 18, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) four, while the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and African Democratic Congress (ADC) have two each.
The lawmakers eying the seat of the speaker in the 10th National Assembly are current Deputy Speaker Ahmed Idris Wase (Plateau), Aliyu Betara (Borno), Sada Soli (Katsina), Alhassan Ado Doguwa (Kano), Ben Kalu (Abia), Yusuf Gagdi (Plateau), Tajudeen Abbas (Kaduna), Aminu Sani Jaji (Zamfara), Princess Mariam Onuoha (Imo), Makki Abubakar Yalleman (Jigawa), and Abdulraheem Olawuyi (Kwara).
Ahmed Idris Wase (Plateau)
Ahmed Wase, APC member representing Wase Federal Constituency, Plateau State (North Central), is presently the Deputy Speaker of the House, deputizing for Femi Gbajabiamila. The 58-year-old has attempted to be the speaker in the past, being a member of the lower chamber since 2007.
His aspiration recently received a boost with Governors Babagana Zulum and Dapo Abiodun of Borno and Ogun states respectively speaking for his experience and loyalty. While Zulum said “We are not in doubt about your capabilities, capacity and competence; no one can even take away your experience, loyalty and commitment to our party, but let’s cross the first hurdle, which is zoning the position to the North-Central…”
For his part, Abiodun said “Your high level of loyalty and quality service to Nigeria in your capacity as deputy speaker to Femi Gbajabiamila has been key in stabilising the polity; you have demonstrated over the years that you are a true party man, a very consistent personality and a true democrat and progressive having grown from the defunct AC, ACN till today; you never disappointed the progressive family in any manner.”
Former Governor of Kebbi State, Senator Adamu Aliero and Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke also spoke favourably for Wase.
Aliyu Betara (Borno)
Aliyu Betara was re-elected for fifth term in the February 25 elections under the ruling APC. He polled a total of 71,427 votes to defeat his closest rival Mohammed Biu of the PDP, who polled 15, 514 votes to come second.
Betara, who represents Biu/Bayo/Kwaya Kusar/Shani Federal Constituency of Borno State (North East), has been an influential lawmaker. He is presently the Chairman of the House of Representatives Appropriation Committee. He had earlier chaired the Army and Defence committees between 2011 and 2019.
The 57-year-old accountant turned lawmaker was said to have met with all members-elect, especially those going into the lawmaking chamber for the first time. Many believed that to be part of his contacts ahead of the official jostle for the position of the speaker.
Sada Soli (Katsina)
Sada Soli Jibia is an APC member representing Kaita/Jibia Federal Constituency of Katsina State (North West). He had served as the Chief of Staff to the Speaker, House of Representatives, between 2011 and 2015. He was elected into the House in 2015 and got reelected in 2019.
He has served as Chairman of the following Ad-hoc Committees: House Committee on Water Resources; Special Committee on Constitutional Review; Unspent Fund, Electoral Act; Petroleum Industry Bill; Parliamentary Friendship Group (Nigeria and Cameroon); Ad-hoc Committee to Investigate Joint Venture Businesses and Production Sharing Contracts of the NNPC from 1990; Committee on National Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) to investigate the Non-Remittance of Contributions into the NSITF; Ad-hoc Committee on Process and Industrial Development (P&ID) Ltd to investigate the Alleged Negligence by the Federal Ministries of Justice and Petroleum Resources in the handling of the Transaction between the Federal Government and the P&ID.
Sada Soli represents Jibia/Kaita Federal Constituency in Katsina State, North West Nigeria. He has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2007.
His supporters say Rep Sada Soli is endowed with leadership qualities that stand him out for the position.
Tajudeen Abbas (Kaduna)
Tajuddeen Abbas, an APC member representing Zaria Federal Constituency in Kaduna State (North West), is presently the Chairman, House Committee on Land Transport. He will be serving his fourth tem in the 10th National Assembly. He holds a PhD in Business Administration from Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto.
Dateline Nigeria reports that one of the major backers of 59-year-old Abbas, who holds the traditional title of Iyan Zazzau, is Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai. The governor had informed APC supporters in Zaria that he would love to see Iyan Zazzau as the next Speaker of the House of Representatives.
El-Rufai said he would personally travel to Lagos to see the President-Elect, Tinubu, in respect of the speaker. “But the most important thing I will request from him, if at all I contributed to his success in the election, the only pay back is for the Iyan Zazzau to become speaker.”
Other supporters of Abbas said he deserves the speaker position as “the only federal lawmaker from the North-West region who has thus far sponsored 74 bills” in addition to being “a man of unblemished integrity and is manifestly loved and trusted by his fellow federal lawmakers.”
Yusuf Gagdi (Plateau)
Yusuf Gagdi is an APC member representing Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency of Plateau State (North Central). The 42-year-old lawmaker was a deputy speaker of the State House of Assembly before getting elected into the House in 2019.
Gagdi, who is presently the Chairman, House Committee on Navy, is making inroads through stakeholder engagements.
His supporters say Gagdi has made his mark in representational politics right from the grassroots, adding that the House of Representatives need a leader that is young and can connect with the millions of youths who should be carried along in the art of governance.
Born on November 5, 1980, Gagdi had served in various other capacities before his present position which included Legislative Aide to Deputy Speaker of Plateau State House of Assembly between 2003 and 2006; member of Plateau State Library Board 2012- 2014 and Chairman of Federal Board, Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority (LBRBDA Makurdi 2012 – 2014; Chairman of Special Committee on peace, security and reconciliation Plateau State 2015; Chairman Special Committee on Peace, Security and Reconciliation Plateau State 2018 and as well as Financial Secretary of PDP Plateau State 2012 – 2014.
Abdulraheem Olawuyi (Kwara)
Abdulraheem Olawuyi, who represents the Ekiti/Isin/Irepodun/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency in Kwara State (North Central). Presently, the Chairman of the House Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness, Olawuyi is expected to officially declare his ambition for the seat today in Abuja.
Olawuyi said he had consulted widely on his intention to contest the position and was delighted at the feedback.
In a statement titled, ‘Rep AbdulRaheem joins race for Speaker, to officially declare April 4’, he said he believed that he possessed the needed experience to make the office of the Speaker better if elected by his colleagues.
He said old and new members of the House would be in attendance at the official declaration.
“I assure you that if elected, I will strive to promote policies that will benefit all Nigerians from various backgrounds and will work with all parties to unite the country. I am genuinely looking forward to meeting fellow lawmakers, sharing my vision with them, and listening to their ideas on how to improve the lot of the people if elected as the Speaker,” Olawuyi stated.
Alhassan Ado-Doguwa (Kano)
Alhassan Ado Doguwa, a member representing Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal Constituency of Kano State (North West) is presently the Majority Leader in the House of Representatives.
Doguwa had said in the past that his biggest political ambition has been to be the speaker of House of Representatives one day.
However, developmwnta during the February 25 electiona now threaten this ambition. Doguwa is right now on bail as he faces allegations of involvement in culpable homicide, illegal possession of firearms and breach of public peace.
Political obervers believe this can be used against him by some of his rivals in the race.
Princess Miriam Onuoha (Imo)
Miriam Odinaka Onuoha is an APC member of the House of Representatives from Okigwe North Federal Constituency Imo State.
As the only woman so far in the race, many believe she may benefit if the ruling party considers gender in filling up leadership positions in the National Assembly.
She is presently the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Disabilities and Special Needs, another sub-group yearning for inclusion in governance.
The lawmaker is believed to enjoy the full support of her home state governor, Hope Uzodinma. She was first elected into the House on February 25, 2020.
A graduate of Estate Management from the University of Lagos, Onuoha also has in her kitty a Master’s Degree in Environmental Planning and Protection (MEPP) from the University of Abuja.
Olaide Akinremi (Oyo)
Olaide Akinremi is the Chairman, House Committee on Science Research Institutes. He represents Ibadan North Federal Constituency, Oyo State (South West).
A group within the All Progressives Congress (APC), South West Youth Forum for Good Governance, has thrown its weight behind the lawmaker
The returning lawmaker, according to his supporters, possesses the requisite competence, capacity, and character to provide the needed stability for the House of Representatives being a member of the National Caretaker Committee of the party.
A group however called on the president-elect, National Chairman and other leaders of the party as well as members of the House of Representatives to do everything possible to zone the office of Deputy Speaker to Oyo State and support Akinremi.
Ben Kalu (Abia)
Benjamin Okezie Kalu is a member of the House of Representatives, representing Bende Federal Constituency, Abia State. He is currently the spokesperson of the House of Representatives and the Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs.
Benjamin Okezie Kalu graduated from the University of Calabar, where he served as a student representative at twenty three years. At twenty nine years, he served as the national chapter of the PDP in diaspora.
He served as the youngest local government chairman of Bende, Abia State, Nigeria at the age of thirty one. At thirty four years, he served as the senior special adviser to the then governor of Abia State Orji Uzor Kalu on local government and chieftaincy affairs, before becoming the senior special adviser to the governor on Millennium Development Goals and international relations at the age of thirty five.
He may benefit from a call by some groups asking the APC, having secured a majority in the 10th National Assembly, to choose the Speaker of the House of Representatives to the South East.
Makki Abubakar Yalleman (Jigawa)
Makki Abubakar Yalleman represents Mallammadori/Kaugama Federal Constituency in Jigawa State (North West). He is and Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Defence.
While urging the ruling APC to zone the position of Speaker to the North, he said it will further enhance fairness and balance of political offices in the country,
Yalleman “I want to tell you that I will contest for the position of the Speaker of the 10th National Assembly, if the leadership of our party, the All Progressives Congress, zones it to the North-West geopolitical zone where I hail from.”
Yalleman said he was optimistic that the position would be zoned to either the North-Central or the North-West since the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is from the South-West, while the Vice President-elect, Kashim Shettima, hails from the North-East.
Aminu Sani Jaji (Zamfara)
Aminu Sani Jaji represents Kaura Namoda/Birnin Magaji federal constituency of Zamfara State (North West).
He was the chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence in the 8th Assembly.
Jaji was elected in 2015 by the people of Kaura Namoda/Birnin Magaji Federal Constituency of Zamfara State on the platform of the APC to represent them at the Federal House of Representatives.
While he served in the House between 2015 and 2019, Jaji gave an excellent account of the confidence reposed in him by his constituents.
The 49-year-old lawmaker attended Birnin Magaji Model Primary School between 1987 and 1992; before proceeding to Government Secondary School, Kaura Namoda in 1992, where he graduated in 1998.
