Speakership Race: Jibrin Declares Interest

The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Finance, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, has formally declared his intention to contest for the position of Speaker in the coming 8th assembly billed to be inaugurated by June.

Jibrin at a press conference in Abuja said if elected as the Speaker, he would cut the cost of governance in the House and would as well publish the allowances and running costs of members.

According to him, “Having chaired the House Committee on Finance in the last four years, I am in a better position to know the economic exigencies of the country and the need to run a cost effective parliament in line with the desire of the president-elect to cut the cost of governance.”

“It is against this backdrop and desire to help deepen the change that has taken hold of the political space, that I wish to humbly present myself to be elected the Speaker of the 8th House of Representatives.

“However, in the days ahead, I will seek audience with the various stakeholders; the president-elect, vice-presidentelect, governors-elect, leaders and members-elect, civil society organisations and other individuals and interest groups in the country to further advoctate my candidature.”

To this end, he said his administration would centre on a three-point agenda that entail transparency in discharging the people’s mandate, strengthening the institutions of the House and continuity in legislative business.

When asked if his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), should zone the position of speakership, he said Nigerians are more interested in a system that works, saying “when we talk about who the Speaker should be, the consideration should not be about who or where should produce it but about who has the well-with-all to deliver on his or her mandate, and I’m sure the leadership of our party the APC knows that very well, that it would consider candidates based on competence and merit.”