Some aspirants vying for the 10th House of Representatives’ Speaker have united against zoning by the All Progressives Congress (APC) with a resolve to contest the seat.
The aspirants resolved to defy the party’s zoning after a meeting of the leading contestants in Abuja.
The move is coming against the backdrop of the zoning of the speaker and the deputy speaker by the National Working Committee of the APC on Monday.
The party had zoned the speaker to the North West with the choice of Tajudeen Abbas (APC-Kaduna) and the deputy speaker’s slot to the South East with the choice of Benjamin Kalu (APC-Abia)
Betara had accused the incumbent Speaker of the House of Reps, Femi Gbajabiamila of sponsoring Tajudeen Abbas (APC-Kaduna) whom he described as unpopular in the house against other aspirants in the race.
According to Betara, Femi Gbajabiamila nominated Tajudeen Abbas outside of Wase, Doguwa, Betara, Gagdi and other leading aspirants.
He said, “If today, the Deputy Speaker of the House is contesting, the Chairman of Appropriation is contesting, the Majority Leader is contesting, then who is closer to the Speaker? Gbajabiamila picked somebody that most members of the 9th assembly do not know.”
Gagdi another contestant, said members had the prerogative to choose their leader, adding that it would be unjust that the party jettisoned the North Central which gave the party a huge vote.
Meanwhile, some opposition members-elect from New Nigeria Peoples Party, Labour Party, APGA, ADC have queued behind the candidacy of Betara.
At the Transcorp Hilton on Monday, where Betara formally made his intention known, scores of returning and new members stormed the venue of his declaration, with a pledge to work for his emergence.
(NAN)
