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The minority caucuses in the House of Representatives have commenced the process of alliance to present a unified front ahead of the inauguration of the 10th session of the House in June.

The lawmakers met on Tuesday at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja. Lawmakers from six minorities parties were in attendance.

Several new and returning lawmakers, attended the meeting which started at about 10 p.m.

The parties are the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Social Democratic Party (SDP) Youth Progressive Party (YPP), and New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP).

The moderator of the meeting, Dachung Bagos (PDP, Plateau), informed the lawmakers that the combined strength of the opposition is more than the ruling party. He noted that there is a need for unity to achieve a collective interest.

He noted that the alliance can produce “an impossible upset” if all the lawmakers are committed to the alliance.

Composition of the House
The ruling All Progressives Congress has so far won 162 seats out of the 325 seats declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Meanwhile, the combined strength of the opposition is 163 seats with the PDP having 102 seats. LP and NNPP have 34 and 18 seats respectively, APGA four seats, ADC and SDP two each while YPP has one seat.

INEC is set to conduct elections in the remaining constituencies on 15 April.

Alliance must be of equity
Speaking on the alliance, George Ozodinobi, a lawmaker-elect from Anambra State, said the LP is committed to an alliance as long as the process aligns with its values.

Mr Ozodinobi, who spoke on behalf of the LP caucus, said they will back anyone the group decides as long as the person is competent.

“We are a minority caucus and we are pledging commitment to the unity of the great alliance of the 10th Assembly. I believe we are all minorities and believe we are all standing together for the common purpose of the overall benefit for us, irrespective of seniority considering the ratio of the alliance.

“I stand here on behalf of the 34 strong elected members of the LP, believing this alliance shall attract evenly benefit to us in this assembly and conform with the LP ideology,” he said.

Also speaking on the alliance, Abdulmummin Jibrin, a member-elect on the platform of NNPP from Kano State, assured his colleagues that they can achieve their aim, as long as they are united.

Mr Jibrin, a former member of the House, said the alliance will protect the collective interest of the group.

Following the remarks by some of the lawmakers, the meeting was declared “closed door”.

....The only exception was in 2015 when Ike Ekweremadu of the PDP was elected deputy senate president following some working relationship with some APC senators. Mr Ekweremadu was deputy to Bukola Saraki then of the APC.

In the Second Republic, the ruling National Party of Nigeria (NPN) went into alliance with the Nigeria Peoples Party (NPP) to produce the presiding officers of the Senate and the House because of its narrow majority in both chambers.

Consequently, the NPN produced Joseph Wayas as senate president while NPP had John Wash Pam as deputy senate president.

It is not clear if such alliance will be replicated in the 10th National Assembly if the APC does not have a clear majority in the House after the 15 April supplementary elections.

y2jacob1:
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) in conjunction with other minority parties in the House of Reps have commenced an alliance process to produce the next Speaker of the House of Reps.

Information available to the News Chronicle reveals that the lawmakers under the minority parties comprising new and returning members met on Tuesday at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja. The parties are the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Social Democratic Party (SDP) Youth Progressive Party (YPP), and New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP).

Speaking at the meeting, Dachung Bagos (PDP, Plateau State), informed the lawmakers that the combined strength of the opposition is more than the ruling party. He noted that there is a need for unity to achieve a collective interest...

https://www.thenews-chronicle.com/just-in-pdp-lp-commence-alliance-process-to-produce-rep-speaker/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ReviveOldPost

cktheluckyman:
The opposition combined have more numbers than the APC HOR members

seunmsg:
Jokers. Rivers PDP already made it clear they will align with APC. NNPP legislators mostly from Kano will also align with APC. The opposition can succeed in stealing the leadership of the house in 2015 due to negligence, they can’t pull it off under President Bola Tinubu. They should stop dreaming.

cktheluckyman:
You are joking right?

seanfer:
Wike said so 2 days ago that Rivers House of Reps members will align with the APC to win the house speaker.

greatiyk4u:
Who empowered Ike whose relevance is ending on May 29th?
These are adults ready to take decisions by themselves

seanfer:
Go and tell the members to do otherwise....

seunmsg:
Jokers. Rivers PDP already made it clear they will align with APC. NNPP legislators mostly from Kano will also align with APC. The opposition can succeed in stealing the leadership of the house in 2015 due to negligence, they can’t pull it off under President Bola Tinubu. They should stop dreaming.

seanfer:
Wike said so 2 days ago that Rivers House of Reps members will align with the APC to win the house speaker.

tamdun:
Wike already said law makers from rivers will work with APC and am sure oyo and osun will do same

oladaride359:
What give you the assurance that some legislators from APC will not go in the direction of Opposition or u think rulling part are that strongly united, wait till APC make decision of who to choose for speaker and see some of legislators who are not satify with it go in the direction of Opposition.