…By Lola Smith for TDPel Media. The elected members of Nigeria’s 10th House of Representatives are currently engaged in a heated struggle for the principal offices following the election and inauguration of the House Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
While Honourable Tajudeen Abbas assumed the position of Speaker, Honorable Benjamin Kalu was elected as the Deputy Speaker.
The focus now shifts to the election of members into key positions such as Majority House Leader, Deputy Leader, Chief Whip, Deputy Whip, Minority Leader, Deputy Minority Leader, Minority Whip, and Deputy Minority Whip.
Fierce Contest for House Leader Position:
The North East, North Central, and South South zones are engaged in a fierce competition for the prestigious role of House Leader, which holds the third position within the legislative House.
This position often signifies the party that holds the majority in the House and wields power at the federal level.
Despite the All Progressives Congress (APC) having a majority in the House, with over 160 members, the party is yet to select its preferred candidate for the House Leader.
Elected members from the aforementioned zones are reportedly embroiled in disputes over the control of key leadership positions within the House.
APC’s Deliberations on Principal Office Candidates:
Abdullahi Adamu, the national chairman of the APC, stated that the party would soon decide on who would occupy the crucial seats in the National Assembly.
After a meeting with President Bola Tinubu, Adamu expressed the party’s intention to finalize the remaining appointments of each principal officer.
The party aims to seek the President’s approval before making the decisions public or presenting them to the National Assembly.
These deliberations mark a historic moment in the political landscape.
South West’s Hesitation Due to Senate Leader Prospects:
Unlike the North West and South East regions, which have already produced presiding officers for the House, the South West is not enthusiastic about securing the House Leader position.
This reluctance stems from the likelihood of the Senate Leader position being assigned to the region that produced the President.
As a result, the ruling party is engaged in extensive consultations to prevent a repeat of the opposition that arose during the zoning of presiding officers’ positions.
Rivalry Between North-East and North-Central Candidates:
In the North-East, the contest for the House Leader position is primarily between Usman Bello Kumo from Gombe, the co-chairman of the Joint Task Force in the 10th Assembly, who supported the Abbas/Kalu joint ticket, and Muktar Betara from Borno, a leading contender for the Speakership who withdrew at the last minute.
Meanwhile, Yusuf Adamu Gagdi from Plateau and Abdulraheem Olawuyi from Kwara, who previously contended for the Speakership from the North-Central region, are now vying for the House Leader position.
Notably, Betara, who was Abbas’ main challenger before stepping down, has reportedly decided to retain his role as the head of the Appropriations Committee from the previous term.
Conclusion
The battle for principal offices in Nigeria’s 10th House of Representatives intensifies as elected members strive to secure influential positions within the legislative body.
The competition for the House Leader position remains particularly fierce, with the North East, North Central, and South South zones vying for control.
The APC engages in careful deliberations to select the most suitable candidates for
these key positions, taking into account regional considerations and potential repercussions.
As negotiations continue, the political landscape awaits the unveiling of the final appointments that will shape the course of the 10th National Assembly.