ABUJA—Intense pressure from governors and politicians from North Central geopolitical zone may have forced the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to a retreat over the adoption of Femi Gbajabiamila as the Speaker of the incoming 9th House of Representatives.

Vanguard learned that governors of the zone have resolved to throw their weight behind another lawmaker from the zone to emerge as speaker.

The zone is alleging marginalisation in the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, saying no visible position had been given to them.

To this end, three lawmakers from the zone are in the race to succeed Speaker Yakubu Dogara.

They are Mohammed Bago from Niger State, Idris Wase, the current Deputy Majority Leader from Plateau State and John Dyegh from Benue State who is likely to formerly declare his interest today at the National Assembly.

At the moment, Bago’s candidacy is gathering momentum as his state government, Niger, has vowed to mobilise other governors from the zone and beyond to support him.

Meanwhile, Gbajabiamila who represents Surulere II federal constituency of Lagos State is also a front line aspirant for the office.

Reports of his adoption by APC and national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, had been making the rounds, giving the lawmaker an edge over 16 other names who had also indicated interest in the position.

But it was gathered, yesterday, that Gbajabilamila’s camp became seemingly distraught and deterred by the party’s latest position on Monday.

Reports credited to an aide of the national chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole, had on Monday filtered in that the party had adopted Gbajabilamila as its preferred candidate for the office.

But reacting to the report, National Publicity Secretary of the party, Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu said the information was false.

He said the party was yet to take a final decision on zoning of leadership offices of the House to the geopolitical zones.

He said: “We have not come out as a party to say (that we have adopted Gbajabilamila) and it is not in anyone’s position to go and announce that.”


Checks, yesterday, indicated an uneasy calm in the lawmaker’s camp.

Sources said that APC may be forced to ignore the South-West and zone the speakership to North Central geopolitical zone in the interest of the equity and social justice.

When contacted, the media aide to Gbajabilamila, Olanrewaju Wasiu admitted that indeed the party has not officially zone the speakership to South-West or adopted his boss.

Efforts made to reach the campaign Director-General of the Gbajabilamila Campaign Organisation, Abdulmumuni Jubril for further comments were not successful as he neither answered his call nor replied the text message sent to his phone.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/04/9th-assembly-how-n-central-govs-forced-apc-to-renege-on-gbajabilamilas-adoption/

Hmmm

Pa Chuks, care to tell us how PDP is planning to manage and share its minority positions?

docadams:
Hmmm

There is no way the SW will take VP and speaker .Haba.In today's Nigeria?

And the power play intrigues continues.

PaChukwudi44:

There is no way the SW will take VP and speaker .Haba.In today's Nigeria?

You've a point. But why you should be giving yourself headache over that beats my imagination

Eleeribu ni Pa-shukudi yi sha!

docadams:


You've a point. But why you should be giving yourself headache over that beats my imagination

I did not write the report

This unrepentant liar claim that Onnoghen will be exonerated n will disgrace Buhari in court. Here we go again with this thing without no iota of shame, after SW wins the speaker seat the bigoted igbotic jester will have a lot more foolish rant to display.

PaChukwudi44:

There is no way the SW will take VP and speaker .Haba.In today's Nigeria?

Tinubu go lose wella. That na sure odd.



PDP go show am Cameroon pepper.

Suicide is never the answer.

Gbaja would NEVER be Speaker. It's that simple.

A useless Tinubu ragdoll can't be Speaker. Abuja is not Lagos. Nigeria is not Lagos.

Deranged.

RichBoy247:
Vanguard - Source of most of the lies in the media. The publisher would be in jail for ever when I become President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Mace0lane:
This unrepentant liar claim that Onnoghen will be exonerated n will disgrace Buhari in court. Here we go again with this thing without no iota of shame, after SW wins the speaker seat the bigoted igbotic jester will have a lot more foolish rant to display.

I was not the one who lied that Gbaja will win the speaker seat in 2015� �

The president, senate president, speaker of the rep and the chief of militaries and the cabinet all from north. That is a bad representative of multicultural country like our own. I wish APC will not do this stupid mistake

I'm a yoruba but I think tinubu's greed will finally bring APC to ruine.

id911:


Exactly bro! Nigerians and even majority of the lawmakers are not fools. SW can't have VP and Speaker, that is absolute greediness and disregard to other zones. Even if SW must have Speaker, why must it be from Lagos when Osibanjo is also and ideally representing Lagos ? Are Ekiti, Ondo, Osung, Oyo not parts of SW?

But the north can have the speaker, SP , all the military heads and their paramilitary personnel

PaChukwudi44:

There is no way the SW will take VP and speaker .Haba.In today's Nigeria?

but the NW took both the VP and the Speaker in this same today Nigeria.

Should this pull through, it will be very unfair. The North can't have the President, Senate President and Speaker of the house. Going by zoning, the Senate president slot aught to go to the south east but if that is not so, at least, The south should be allowed to produce the Speaker of the house.

shugabasbn:


But the north can have the speaker, SP , all the military heads and their paramilitary personnel

NW/NE/NC the SW must think the rest of us are fools.Tinubu must realize Nigeria is not Lagos

Mechonu


TO RENT OR BUY HOUSE, CHECK MY SIGNATURE

shugabasbn:


But the north can have the speaker, SP , all the military heads and their paramilitary personnel

Why must it be Tinubu errand boy? Is Tinubu the owner of Nigeria? Why can't he fight for other parts of the South to get that position?

Do you what to say no APC House of Rep Member in the Niger Delta or S.E now like you guys were chorusing the last time?

masseratti:
but the NW took both the VP and the Speaker in this same today Nigeria.

It was Tinubu who sold the SW position for his personal greed.Today he is struggling to secure this same position for the SW.That is the real definition of karma.

RichBoy247:
Vanguard - Source of most of the lies in the media. The publisher would be in jail for ever when I become President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Vanguard is now more or less a glorified blog.
How anyone there became qualified to practice as a journalist is beyond comprehension.

shugabasbn:


But the north can have the speaker, SP , all the military heads and their paramilitary personnel

there is no one north just as no one south...North Central is wat we are talking of here...