‘164’ APC reps-elect endorse Gbaja for speaker

One hundred and sixty-four incoming members of the house of representatives under the All Progressives Congress (APC) have reportedly resolved to endorse Femi Gbajabiamila as speaker for the 9th assembly.

Tunji Ojo, chairman of the forum of the newly elected APC members, made this claim in a statement on Thursday.

He said the members, whom he did not name, have decided to go with the party’s decision to adopt Gbajabiamila, current majority leader of the house, for the position.

The APC, which emerged majority in the two legislative chambers, had adopted Gbajabiamila as its candidate for speaker and zoned the deputy speaker to the north-central.

According to Ojo, the party is justified with its position considering that Gbajabiamila is “eminently qualified more than any other person.”

“Every member of the party is a product of the party. The party gave everybody the platform to contest, and apart from giving platform, the party also gave assistant to members before, during and after elections,” the statement read.

“So, it is expected that as loyal party members, we are supposed to toe the line of the party and now that the party and Mr President have spoken that Gbajabiamila should be supported for the Speaker of the House of Representatives, we expect every party faithful to toe that line and support Gbajabiamila to emerge as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

“We believe he has the experience; more experience than other people that are contesting the position. It is not just enough for you to bring out posters. Femi is very qualified, eminently qualified more than any other person.”

The forum also urged aspirants from the north to respect the party’s position as both senate president and speaker cannot come from the north.

“The Presidency is zoned to the North, while the Vice President is to the South. Now Senate president has been zoned to the North and speakership to the South. When it comes to the South, we decide where it should go,” it added.

“Politics in this country is played along the line of North and South. North-Central is North, North-West is North and North-East is North. So, the speakership has been zoned to South. When we zoned the Presidency to the North, North-West produced the President. So, for those talking about zoning, zoning in this country is done on the basis of North/South.”