Jibrin: Gbaja has comfortable lead to become speaker

Femi Gbajabiamila, majority leader of the house of representatives, has a “comfortable lead” to become speaker of the 9th assembly, according to Abdulmumin Jibrin, his campaign spokesman.

Addressing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, Jibrin said the support Gbajabiamila currently enjoys cuts across party lines.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) which is expected to produce the next speaker had endorsed Gbajabiamila as its choice for the position.

He was also endorsed for the position in 2015 but was eventually beaten to it by Yakubu Dogara.

Gbajabiamila said he is also consulting with his colleagues in the APC who are in the race with the hope to win them over before the election.

He said: “Now we have the numbers to win the election on June 10. We have applied different kind of modules to weigh our numbers. In all the instances we have applied, we have arrived at a very comfortable number that will win us the eleciton. We have gotten all the numbers we require.

“We also have large number of members from PDP and other opposition parties. Femi and (Mohammed) Wase are foing to run all inclusive house. We believe we will get PDP and others to join the train.

“If not for the fact that we have to keep our guards, we would have asked my colelagues to go and sleep and come back in June, that victory is ours. But we are not taking anything for granted.

Jibrin said Dogara who is of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is also being lobbied to ensure a “common ground”.

According to him, “we are also lobbying the incumbent speaker. We appreciate the value he can bring on board. He has a support base and controls a particular bloc of the house.

“We have opened up negotiations with him and we are pretty sure because of the love he has for this parliament, we will reach a common ground.”