By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – Lawmaker representing Chanchaga federal constituency in Niger state, Hon. Mohammed Umaru Bago has informed that he is the most qualified to be the Speaker of the incoming 9th Assembly going by all available requirements and parameters.
He made the revelation at a press conference held in Abuja.
In terms of support and desire to make governance seamless for Buhari, Bago who said he is a core Buharist, recalled that he came to the parliament under the platform of CPC as far back as 2011. He further said he would use his position as speaker to ensure that appropriate bills are passed to support the laudable programs of President Buhari and that the developmental plans of the party as contained in the party’s manifesto.
According to him, “Let me remind you I came to the parliament under the platform of CPC, so am a core Buharist, anything that will protect Buhari and Nigeria, I am in there irrespective of party decision.
Also,”the North Central geopolitical zone brought the third largest votes to bring the All Progressives Congress (APC) government into power in 2019,” said.
According to the speakership aspirant ranking lawmaker, the North Central deserves to produce the next speaker of the House of Representatives, adding that the zone is the traditional home of APC and President Muhammadu Buhari.
He explained that if the leadership of the APC has come out to zone the speakership to the south east geopolitical zone, he would have jettisoned his ambition and seek for deputy speaker of the House of Representatives.
Speaking on the zoning of offices in the incoming 9th National Assembly by the APC, Bago said the APC is not guided by individual thought but by constitution. “Not many believed Buhari when he said he is for everybody and for nobody “but I can tell you he meant what he said. But politics is politics and many will because they are close to the president drop his name for their personal benefit, he said.
“But as a zone, the North Central is saying in whatever ramification it is looked into,we deserve to be considered because we brought the third highest vote to make APC a government.
“We even gave greater number of votes more than the zone that has produced a vice president and look at the logic- if you have taken senate presidency from North Central and speakership from North East who had it in the 8th Assembly, under normal circumstances you should be considering North Central.
“If the party has come out to say we are zoning speakership to the south east, honestly I would have just gone to contest for deputy speaker if I want to” he said.
“My position is still the same and let me reiterate that in the spirit of unity, we introduced federal character into the constitution of this country and the constitution is very clear that all offices and all other national issues must be shared across six political zones. And even without federal character, I think it just make sense for people to think that integral part of this union are responsible for this country called Nigeria, therefore every other person must have a sense of belonging.
“We have a president from the North West, so looking at the six geopolitical offices, the northwest has been settled, and you have a vice president from the south west that means they are also settled. And you have the party zoning senate presidency to the northeast and deputy Senate President to the south south that means they are settled”.
“We have put so much on the table so we cannot be over run. We are saying that if the party in its conscience and the leaders are going to wake up to the reality and they want to zone it to the south east, honestly we will support them”.
On zoning, Bago said “Who zoned what to what? But secondly the party is not guided by individual thought but the constitution of the party and that of the Nation is clear on the issue of equity, so you don’t call people who are clamouring for equity what is their own.
“Let me remind you I came to the parliament under the platform of CPC, so am a core Buharist, anything that will protect Buhari and Nigeria, I am in there irrespective of party decision. Because I don’t even see why the desperation and let me tell you something in leadership there are two things you need to understand even if you have preference, you can tactically zone to a region and lobby but you cannot force on people.
“So we are saying all these stories, we are talking about, at the end of the day will end in an open secret ballot in the chamber, 360 of us will elect our leadership, so we are not afraid to talk.
“We cannot be tormented or cowed by any other person, our position is very clear, we stand for equity, north central deserves to be recognised in the sharing formula of this country” Bago added.