THE struggle for the position of the nation’s number four citizen went a notch higher as the Northeast Caucus in the House of Representatives at the weekend threw its weight behind the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila (All Progressives Congress (APC), Lagos) as the Speaker of the 8th House.
They also endorsed Mohammed Tahir Monguno from Borno State as their choice of candidate for the position of Deputy Speaker of the House.
Thirty-six of the 48 members from the Northeast Caucus after meeting in Abuja resolved to support Gbajabiamila as the Speaker with a proviso: if the party zones the speakership slot to the Southwest.
However, they said they would support Monguno for the Speakership position if it is zoned to the Northeast and that they will abide by the position of the party in whatever its choice is in the zoning of the speakership position.
The decision followed a meeting at the weekend in which members from five Northeastern states were present.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Goni Bukar Lawan (Yobe), who spoke on behalf of the Northeast Caucus, said their decision was based on the country’s political reality.
He said in advanced democracies, when the minority takes over government, the Minority Leader becomes the Majority Leader of the party.
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“We cannot look for any leader, because even before we took over the government, he was our leader, and today we’re in the position. That’s why we decided to take our leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, to be our Speaker, and for Hon. Mungonu to be our Deputy Speaker by the grace of God.”
Speaking on why he jettisoned his ambition to become Speaker in the 8th House, Goni said as a grassroots politician, he had to listen to his governor, who is the party leader in his state.
“We have a project before Yobe State. Senator Ahmed Lawan is pursuing the position of Senate President of this country. In that respect, we cannot have one state produce two candidates; one looking for the post of Speaker of the House of Representatives and another Senate President.
“For us, that’s not in order. That’s why after the consultations and discussions, we arrived at supporting Gbajabiamila, when the party zones the speakership to the Southwest.”
He added that because of the ambition of both Senator Ahmed Lawan and Mongonu, “whatever position I am looking for, I should step it down. We are now one and all of us are working for the progress of the Northeast.”
The contest for the Speakership has seen claims and counter- claims of endorsements as the 7th House winds down.
Munguno and Yakubu Dogara, two serious contenders for the post of principal officers in the 8th House, are from the Northeastern states of Borno and Bauchi respectively.
Members-elect from the Northeastern Caucus, who signed the Gbajabiamila/ Monguno endorsement document from Adamawa: Sadiq Ibrahim, Yusuf Buba, Abdulraman Shaibu and Philip Gutuwa.
From Bauchi: Muhammed Sani Abdu, Lawal Yahayah, Tata Omar, Isa Hassan Mohammed, Ibrahim Baba, Mohammed Gololo, Salisu Ningi, Musa Aliyu, Ahmed Yarima and Adamu Gupai.
From Borno: Mohammed Nur Sheriff, Mahmud Lawan, Mohammed Sanda, Dr. Asabe Bashir, Mallam Bukar Gana, Abdulkadir Rahis, Ayuba Mohammed Bello, Mohammed Tahir Monguno, Jibrin Satumari
Those from Gombe are Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki, Binta Bello, Ustaz Yinus, Umar Barambu and Ali Isa JC.
Members-elect from Yobe: Goni Bukar Lawan, Khadija B.A. Ibrahim, Ismaila Gadaka, Yau Galadima, Sidi Yakubu and Sabo Garba
(The Nation)
