KAUTHAR ANUMBA-KHALEEL looks at the contest for the coveted seat of the speaker of the House of Representatives as well as recent developments in the polity
As the 8th Assembly nears its end, the race for the leadership of the 9th House of Representatives is in top gear as lawmakers continue to make known their intentions to vie for various offices especially, that of the speaker. Those interested in the contest have commenced consultations, building alliances and also lobbying as many colleagues as possible. This is ongoing while they await the announcement of the ruling All Progressives Party (APC) on its choice of geo-political zone for the position expected any time this week.
Some of the top contenders as earlier reported by Leadership, come from the three zones of South West, North Central and the North East. The lawmakers include, Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas (APC, Adamawa). He is the spokesperson of the House. Hon. Mohammed Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno); Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase (APC, Plateau); Hon. Mohammed Umar Bago (APC, Niger) and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila (APC, Lagos). Gbajabiamila and Wase are the leader and deputy leader of the House respectively.
It is however, important to note that only the North Central caucus of the House has made a case for its geo-political zone for the position. It would be recalled that the caucus pleaded with the leadership of the APC to zone the position to the geo-political zone, noting that zoning the speakership position to the zone will advance equity in the distribution of positions in the country, especially as the North West and South West have already produced the president and vice president respectively and considering the role the zone played for the party’s victory during the general elections.
The leader of the caucus, Hon. John Dyegh, said, “The need to ensure balance and spread between and among the six geo-political zones has made it imperative to give prime consideration to the North central zone to produce the the speaker.
“We note that apart from the North West, and the North East, the North Central zone delivered handsomely for the party in the general elections, and as such, needs to be rewarded for the hard work and loyalty”.
Other contenders for the position are, Hon. Babangida Ibrahim (APC, Katsina state), Hon. Mohammed Gudaji Kazaure (APC, Jigawa), Hon. Khadijah Bukar Abba-Ibrahim, the immediate former minister of state for Foreign Affairs (APC, Yobe), Hon. Yusuf Bubu Yakub ( APC, Adamawa) and Hon. Yakubu Dogara (PDP, Bauchi).
However, recent findings by Leadership revealed that Dogara has indeed opted out of the race after a meeting by his group. It was learnt that the group which is largely made up of those who were instrumental to his emergence as speaker, advised him against staying in the contest as he is not likely to enjoy the kind of support he got in the 8th House and, also because he is now in the opposition.
“We spoke to him, advised him not to even bother re-contesting because members will not support him like they did in 2015. In fact, some of his supporters back then are not coming back and some of the ones that returned, are also interested in that same position. So, he will not make it. And don’t forget he is now a member of the opposition. In 2015, he was in the APC and he enjoyed the support of both parties; now, APC is in clear majority by over 100 members. That alone is a factor that will definitely work against him if he contests”, a member informed.
It would be recalled that in 2015, some APC lawmakers, who sought for the independence of the House alongside opposition members, rose against the party’s plot to impose its candidate, Gbajabiamila, on the House, and threw their weight behind Dogara. That inter-party support saw to his emergence as the speaker of the 8th House.
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Nevertheless, the major concern for most of the contestants now, is what the party’s announcement regards zoning, holds for them and their ambitions. But more importantly, is whether the scenario that shaped the 8th House will play out again or will the party allow the legislature elect its leaders as against foisting one on it, or will the latter once again be forced to assert its independence like it did in 2015. This question is pertinent because even though the party promised to ensure the “right kind of leadership that will have shared vision with our president…”, they are indications that the APC may not have learnt its lessons after all as unverified reports have it has a preferred candidate for the position.
If there is any truth to this, the ruling party may once again, play into the hands of the PDP who may not be in the majority but can for a second time, be a spoiler. Some members of the party alongside defiant APC members have vowed that in the event that the APC decides to meddle by imposing an unpopular candidate, the individual will be rejected.
A member from the south-south said, “We understand that it’s the party’s responsibility to zone these positions but let it end at that. We don’t want and frankly speaking, we don’t need the kind of interference we had in 2015. You saw how that went. It was very unhealthy and needless”.
Expectedly, there are those who have stated that they will stand by the party’s decision as recently remarked by Femi Gbajabiamila. “It’s very important too that we know the place of our party in the scheme of things. But let me say that it’s going to be purely a party thing; it’s an international best practice that when a party wins majority seats in the parliament, it sits down to fashion out ways of distributing leadership responsibilities among members in parliament.
“So, when we get to the point of choosing our leaders, the concept of party supremacy must come to play. It’s the party’s responsibility to tell us which direction to go”, he stated.
In the same vein, it was learnt that Hon. Idris Wase and Mohammed Monguno who contested alongside Gbajabiamila in 2015, may likely withdraw from the race should the party decide on a particular candidate. This, our source says, is because both men would not go against the party on this matter.
It has equally been said that no south-west lawmaker will contest the position, should the party zone it there, and insist on the candidacy of Gbajabiamila with Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s endorsement.
A member who pled anonymity said, “If the speaker’s position is zoned to the southwest and the party presents Femi, I don’t think and I don’t see any member from that zone that will want to come out and contest against him even if they don’t like it. Because that will amount to contesting against Tinubu himself. Some people have been talking about Hon. Faleke contesting but we have also heard that he will not join the contest if indeed, Gbajabiamila has Tinubu’s blessings. No, I don’t believe anyone of them will”, he opined.
While Nigerians and the legislators in particular await the party’s announcement, events of the coming days or weeks may likely see the number of the contestants reduce as Leadership gathered that some may eventually pull out of the race and team up with others should the position go to zones other than theirs, amongst other reasons, just as new contenders who are yet to make known their intentions may also emerge. Some of those listed are expected to also announce their candidacy publicly any moment from now.
