Khadija Bukar Abba drops speakership ambition, opts for house leader
APC urged to zone speakership to S/East
A pressure group, Middle Belt Youth Movement for Unity, Equity, Fairness and Justice, has urged the Comrade Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC to reconsider its zoning of office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives to the South West.
The spokesperson of the group, Comrade Aaron Mike Odeh, who addressed journalists yesterday The House of Representatives Member-elect from Yobe State, Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim, has given reasons as to why she dropped her ambition of becoming the Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives.
Mrs. Ibrahim, instead, said she would vie for the position of majority leader.
The fourth-time legislator who will represent Damaturu, Tarmuwa, Gujba and Gulani, is the immediate past Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
Mrs. Ibrahim who spoke to journalists in Kaduna at the weekend, said she had all it took in Abuja, appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure equitable distribution of all sensitive national positions to give all the geo-political zones a sense of belonging.
Com. Odeh particularly appealed to President Buhari and all political leaders in Nigeria to support the call for the zoning of the speakership of the 9th National Assembly to the South East; which is home to one of the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria.
He said Abia Stateborn to be the speaker, but resolved to shelve her ambition in favour of APC’s preferred candidate, Femi Gbajabiamila.
She also said she was in tune with the choice of Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan, who is also from Yobe State, as the next senate president.
“We had a dinner with the president and the Chairman of
APC pronounced where the party is heading too, so, we as obedient party followers, have decided to go with the party,” she said.
The lawmaker explained that she thus decided to vie for the post of majority leader.
She, however, prayed that the male folk in the house would support her aspiration. Rep. Nkiruka Onyejeocha, who is a high ranking third term federal lawmaker from the zone, was qualified to become speaker and pilot the affairs of the 9th Assembly in view of her wide experience in the legislative business, administrative arena and social relations.
“We are making a special appeal once again to Mr. President, the leadership of all political parties, her colleagues in the green chamber and the entire Nigerians to please give her all the necessary support.
“It is our earnest prayer and belief that as the new leadership of the green chamber shall be formed come June 26, 2019, Hon. Nkiruka Onyejeocha shall by the special grace of God emerge as the speaker,” Odeh said.
He added that the decision was taken at the end of a two-day strategic meeting with the major aim of brainstorming on how members of the Middle Belt in Nigeria and beyond could develop in all areas.