10th HoR: APC in a fix as leadership contest hots up
..not a cash-and-carry business – Lukman
..as CSO makes case for young Gagdi
By Tom Okpe
As the 10th House of Representatives awaits its inauguration, first week of June immediately after the swearing in ceremony of the President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his Vice, Kashim Shettima on May 29th, the battle for who leads the lower chamber of the Parliament hits up, while the ruling party, All Progressives Congress, (APC) seems, confused over recent development.
Just a fortnight ago, a member of the party’s ruling body, National Working Committee, (NWC) Salihu Moh’ Lukman, dragged the party National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu to court for irregularities in the party, calling for correction before the hand over date of May, 29th.
Already, nine, (9) men and a female House members have indicated interest to rule the Green Chamber in the 10th Assembly.
The nine men out of the 10 contestants are: Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Idris-Wase, (APC, Plateau); Yusuf Gagdi, (APC, Plateau), Benjamin Kalu, (APC, Abia); Aminu Jaji, (APC, Zamfara); Makki Yalleman, (APC-Jigawa); Tajudeen Abass, (APC Kaduna); Sada Soli, (APC, Katsina), Muktar Betara, (APC, Borno) and Abdulraheem Olawuyi (APC, Kwara).
The only woman in the race, Miriam Onuoha, representing Mbano/Onuimo/Okigwe Federal Constituency of Imo State during her declaration for the position in Abuja said emergency of dwindling number of women in parliament calls for a deliberate action that will bridge the gender gap and entrust leadership of the National Assembly in the hands of a woman of competence and experience.
“I honorably call for my fellow contestants to support me, a woman with competence, integrity, vision driven mission and a true display of diversity as well as inclusive leadership centered on equity.
“No doubt our President-Elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a he-for-she who has always empowered women in all spheres of life, having picked a woman as his running mate as Governor of Lagos state, also, supported his amiable wife to become a senator in the parliament in line with the goals of the United Nation’s 35% affirmative action for women; to this effect, my election as speaker, House of Representatives will afford Nigeria rare opportunity of killing the two ubiquitous birds of gender balancing and youth inclusiveness in its political/leadership landscape, with one stone,” She stated.
Lots of money bags are in the race, throwing Nigeria Naira and the hard currency up and down, seeking for support of re-elected members and new members-elect.
To this effect, member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC) National Working Committee, (NWC) and National Vice Chairman, North- West, Salihu Moh’ Lukman last week cried out that leadership positions in the 10th National Assembly is not a ‘Cash-and-Carry’ affair pointing that everyone, including members of the NWC are been bribed with trailer loads of Rice and Suger and of course, money.
He observed that if this is allowed to prevail, the candidates at emergence will be disloyal to the Bola Ahmed Tinubu led administration, when sworn in, May 29th 2023.
He also said unfolding developments around the contest is quite worrisome, adding; “apart from clear disregard for national unity and outright disrespect for Nigerians, especially the persons of Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima, being the President-elect and Vice-President-elect respectively, some of the aspiring candidates for the positions of Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives are neither concerned about security and well-being of Nigeria nor, in anyway, disturbed about factors that could erode the electoral viability of our party, APC.”
The APC in a statement on Friday however, stated that the party is yet to zone principal leadership positions in the forthcoming National Assembly, dismissing speculations of its zoning arrangement.
There has been political permutations that the party bowed to pressure by zoning its principal positions in the 10th Assembly in some quarter’s of the media, not Daily Times, especially, office of the Senate President and Speaker, House of Representatives.
However, National Publicity Secretary of the party, Barr Felix Morka cleared this assertions on Friday saying: “Attention of the APC has been drawn to versions of zoning arrangements for the 10th National Assembly leadership positions in circulation in sections of social media.
“The information did not emanate from the Party and should be disregarded.
“To be clear, the Party is yet, to zone positions of leadership of the 10th National Assembly.
“Any decision made in that regard will be duly communicated via the Party’s official information channels,” he added.
Also, Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State, Dr Emmanuel Akabe said leadership positions in the 10th National Assembly, when inaugurated is purely in-house matter, which will be arranged within members.
Akabe stated this in Abuja on Thursday when he led a delegation from his state on a visit to the APC NWC, led by Abdullahi Adamu.
When asked about agitations that Speaker of the House be zoned to the North Central geopolitical zone, he said: “This is purely, politicking within the National Assembly and I am sure, by the time the National Assembly convene in June, after the handing over processes on 29th May, they will be able to look at all the parameters available and of course, liaise with the party to arrive at the reliable persons that will lead the National Assembly.
“I am sure, with able leadership of the National Chairman, experience of our President-elect, Tinubu, I think they will do the needful for this country that at the end of the day, Nigerians will be happy with the outcome and would be proud of our party.”
Meanwhile, likes of Reps Betara and Gagdi, from Borno and Plateau states, respectively are known to be major contenders in the game.
With likes of new entrants to the House, new members ,- elect who are acclaimed to be the simple majority in the House with the APC having 176 members and opposition parties, PDP, LP, APGA, NNPP, YPP, SDP and ADP having 182 members-elect with one dead, leaving 181 members-elect have allegedly thrown its heavy weight behind Betara while CSOs and other heavy weight in the House amongst the old folks are said to be behind the young Gagdi.
The young Gagdi from Plateau State is said to be more favoured for his young age of 42, as Chairman, House Committee on Navy and with lots of bill sponsored and accented to, by President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to Inalegwu Adaje, coordinator, Alliance for True Democracy, (ATD) recently in Abuja, “the next occupant of the number 1 seat of the House of Representatives should be a younger person of below 50 years.”
He said age is essential in the election of the next presiding officers, stressing that a younger person who has distinguished himself in legislative dealings should be considered for the office of the speaker.
According to him, the chairman, House Committee on Navy, Yusuf Gagdi should be considered for the speakership position since he is less than 50.
The CSO coordinator stated that Gagdi has distinguished himself among his peers with his notable achievements and vast experience in legislative matters, noting that the Alliance for True Democracy believes that his candidature will correct imbalance in political leadership across the country.
“Gagdi’s candidature will help correct imbalance in political leadership across party lines, as he represents a younger generation of politicians in their 30s and 40s.”
Adaje also cited the lawmaker’s ability to work across party lines to achieve policy priorities as crucial for the 10th House, where cross-party collaboration is essential to achieving anything.
“Gagdi is the only candidate so far, who has emphasized need for actual reforms to improve ways of parliamentary operations and ensure, the House meets expectations of the Nigerian people.
“Yusuf Adamu Gagdi is 43 years old, and electing him will help correct the imbalance in the country’s political leadership, which doesn’t reflect the reality of having a huge population of young people.
“The 10th HoR will have an unusually, high number of younger politicians in their 30s and 40s. The leadership of the House must reflect this to avoid intergenerational conflicts.
“Gagdi understands the legislature, how it works, and how to make it better. This is evidenced by the fact that in his first term in the House, he sponsored six bills that became law, something that has never been done in the history of our democracy since 1999.
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“Despite being a loyal party man, he made history, by working across party lines to achieve policy priorities. This ability is important in the 10th House, where no party has a majority, and cross-part collaboration, essential to achieving anything.
“Yusuf Gagdi is the only candidate so far, who is speaking to the need for actual reforms to improve the way, parliament operates and ensure, the House meets, expectations of the Nigerian people.”
With these 10 aspirants, jostling for the plum job in the 10th House, who gets it at the end of the day, only “Time will Tell.”
