[size=14pt]House Speaker: Presidency backs South-West[/size]
By John Ameh, Abuja
Tuesday, 10 May 2011
 

Political horse-trading over who becomes the Speaker of the House of Representatives has peaked as feelers from Abuja showed that the Presidency was backing Mrs. Mulikat Adeola as the successor to Mr. Dimeji Bankole.

But she is sure to face a stiff hurdle from her colleagues from the South-East and many prominent members of the House from the North.

While the legislators from the South-East insisted on Monday that their zone must produce either the Speaker of the House or the President of the Senate, those from the North argued that they would not back anyone who emerged a candidate on the basis of zoning.

THE PUNCH learnt early on Monday that the contending camps in the House had received signals from the Presidency indicating that Adeola had its backing.

The biggest factor in favour of the returnee Peoples Democratic Party member from Oyo State is said to be the desire of the party and the Presidency to balance the religious divide in the country.

An influential member of the House from the South-South, who is close to the Presidency, confided in our correspondent in Abuja that besides the desire of the Presidency and the PDP to retain the position in the South-West, “there is the big issue of balancing the religious divide.”

The development is said to have knocked out the South-East from the race.

The legislator said, “The way things stand right now, the President, who is from the South-South is a Christian; the President of the Senate will be retained in the North-Central. Senator David Mark, who is likely to continue in office, is also a Christian.

“Zoning the number four position (Speaker) to the South-East, will lead to the emergence of another Christian.

“So, part of the calculations working for Adeola is the religious factor and the fact that many lawmakers appear to be comfortable with her than any other returning lawmaker from the South-West. Adeola is a Muslim.”

When her views were sought on the rumoured presidential backing for her, Adeola said she could not immediately respond because she was “in a noisy place” in Lagos.

However, the South-East Caucus members in the House disagreed with the reasons cited for the Presidency’s alleged backing for Adeola, particularly the religious factor.

They pointed out that they had last week insisted that the South-East would not accept any position outside the President of the Senate or the Speaker of the House.

“In our communique last week, we clarified this religious issue and why we do not think that it should be used as factor in allocating political positions,” one of them told THE PUNCH.

Part of the communique reads, “The argument about religious balancing is not tenable, historically. We may recall that in the Second Republic, while the President (Alhaji Shehu Shagari) was a Muslim, the Vice-President, Senate President and Speaker were all Christians. Hell was not let loose.

“During the 1993 presidential elections, the South-East put its weight behind the Social Democratic Party presidential candidate, Chief MKO Abiola, and his running mate, Alhaji Babagana Kingibe, who were both Muslims.

“In 2007, the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, and the Speaker (former) of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Patricia Etteh, were Christians.

“In fact, in the current legislature, both the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives are Muslims.

“Religion has never been an issue. How has it now crept in surreptitiously?”

Also on Monday, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, reacted to the reported zoning of the speakership to the South-West.

It also insisted hat the South-East must be given the Speakership or the Senate Presidency.

The President of the organisation, Ambassador Ralph Uwechue, said in Abuja that any office less than the speakership would not be commensurate with the support Jonathan and the PDP got in the South-East during the general elections.

He said, “The PDP as a political party got total support from Igboland. The long and short is that we want something from the National Assembly: it is either Senate President or the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

“We want a position that is commensurate with the PDP’s success in the zone, a just position; a position that is fair to the Igbo, to Nigerians and to everybody.”

As Uwechue spoke, findings showed that many influential members of the House from the North were kicking against Adeola’s choice by the Presidency.

The Northern lawmakers had reportedly resolved at a meeting in Abuja on Saturday not to back any aspirant on the basis of zoning.

Investigations revealed that the group held to the argument that Jonathan had “killed and buried zoning by contesting for the Presidency at a time he knew that it was the turn of the North to have it.”

Insiders confided in our correspondent that the group was demanding that the contest for the speakership should be thrown open to all eligible persons, irrespective of their zones of origin.

The Northern legislators are said to be banking on their majority number in the House across party lines to clinch the seat if it is thrown open.

“Nothing is certain for now; there is even fear of revolt in the House if it becomes obvious that a particular candidate is about to be imposed on the House.

“People are calling for an open contest”, one of them told our correspondent on Monday.

One of the names being touted for the open contest is the Deputy Whip of the House, Mr. Aminu Waziri-Tambuwal, a four-timer (1999 till date) from Sokoto State.

But, when our correspondent contacted him for comments on Monday, Waziri-Tambuwal denied knowledge of the existence of the northern pressure group.

He said, “I am not aware of any northern group that is pursuing an agenda for the position of Speaker.

“I do know that I am in support of stability in the House and any decision that will make us to work for the interest of Nigerians.”

When asked whether he was aware that some persons were suggesting his him for the position, he replied, “It was you who said that my name was being touted. “That means that I am not the one who is putting my name forward.”

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201105103224787

Fresh air

Lol!!! SMH!!! It will not benefit the SW. Anyway, 2015 please come quickly!!!!

jason123:

Lol!!! SMH!!! It will not benefit the SW. Anyway, 2015 please come quickly!!!!

In what way and who cares?

Eko Ile:


In what way and who cares?

We are saying the same thing. It will NOT benefit the SW, in fact, I want it to go to the SE so they can see what the SW and Some SSoutherners like I and Agabworo* are seeing. After all the SEnate presidents the SE has produced, what has it gained them What about the SW and Bankole with OBJ The North nko and their 38 yrs of leadership
Abegi, it adds no value to any region. Let the SE have it so that some like Ezeuche and onlytruth can brag on NL all day and night while he/she loots the country dry!!!

jason123:

We are saying the same thing. It will NOT benefit the SW, in fact, I want it to go to the SE so they can see what the SW and Some SSoutherners like I and Agabworo* are seeing. After all the SEnate presidents the SE has produced, what has it gained them What about the SW and Bankole with OBJ The North nko and their 38 yrs of leadership
Abegi, it adds no value to any region. Let the SE have it so that some like Ezeuche and onlytruth can brag on NL all day and night while he/she loots the country dry!!!

KPOM KPOM KPOM,
but Jason you should know this will make some internet warriors feel very important even though it will have no impact in their daily lifes.

yarodin:

KPOM KPOM KPOM,
but Jason you should know this will make some internet warriors feel very important even though it will have no impact in their daily lifes.

I could not agree more. Everything na bragging rights!!
Well, its good to let the warriors (both the SW and SE) have fun!!!

jason123:

We are saying the same thing. It will NOT benefit the SW, in fact, I want it to go to the SE so they can see what the SW and Some SSoutherners like I and Agabworo* are seeing. After all the SEnate presidents the SE has produced, what has it gained them What about the SW and Bankole with OBJ The North nko and their 38 yrs of leadership
Abegi, it adds no value to any region. Let the SE have it so that some like Ezeuche and onlytruth can brag on NL all day and night while he/she loots the country dry!!!

I asked because you used the phrase SW which I think should have been SWPDP. This is a PDP thing/issue, not a SW issue because we don't care, a Yoruba man held the position and we still got rid of him and nearly all the PDP element across the SW, the post and the PDP are both irrelevant and of no use to the people of the SW.


Saying they should let the SE folks have the position out of pity and not because they deserve it due to their " though overwhelming misguided" and rigged support sounds a lil insulting, but I do get your point, even lil crumbs should be able to console and help them with their wounds.

Eko Ile:


I asked because you used the phrase SW which I think should have been SWPDP. This is a PDP thing/issue, not a SW issue because we don't care, a Yoruba man held the position and we still got rid of him and nearly all the PDP element across the SW, the post and the PDP are both irrelevant and of no use to the people of the SW.


Saying they should let the SE folks have the position out of pity and not because they deserve it due to their " though overwhelming misguided" and rigged support sounds a lil insulting, but I do get your point, even lil crumbs should be able to console and help them with their wounds.

Read Jason123, read!

Jesus! Even I understand what is going on. Eko Ile's post is up there to help u out.

Geez!

The truth of the matter is that SW will get it, because they are a major group in Nigeria and all the Major groups must always get representation in the government. Despite shunning the Presidency polls, the fact is that GEJ still won in SW. To pacify the SW PDP members he will offer them this position, because the temptation to deflect and be in the same party as their colleagues (ACN) must be great! Also, he will want to put someone credible and a performer to hopefully change the view of SW'ers towards PDP come 2015. IF he relegates them to the background, whatever PDP has left in SW will vanish. SE has a better chance of fighting for Senate presidency, except if they prefer Speaker, and SW should get Senate presidency. Quite frankly i dont see why NC cant get SGF. But GEJ is smart for retaining the Speaker position for the SW. He will not be seen as punishing or rewarding the region.

Lol you kno dis is a pdp is with sw pdp in it . Average yoruba guy does not care about any unity party truth be told. Like the oga in ACN said "Zoning or no zoning NASS will choose speaker" . Right now NORTH is majority in Pdp/NASS and aint nothing GEJ can do bout it. I don't care wherethe speaker goes like MOST SW people. We just think this situation is funnnnny as helll. Obj or not the north will only back the sw pdp clowns for their own benefit,

As a Yoruba man, I do not see how this will benefit us in anyway. Give the position to the Ndigbo because they support Jonathan even in the north. The SW do no deserve it after voting for ACN in all levels apart from the federal. Obj did not ask for SW speaker, it was the SS and North that thought this out.

I laugh in Korean

kekekeke