Jostle for Reps Speaker: The APC dicey situation

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has a very  dicey situation to manage as six contenders emerged to contest the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives.

APC

As at Wednesday, the six lawmakers from five geo-political zones of the country had signified their interests in Hon. Aminu Tambuwal’s job.

The contenders are Hon. Yakub  Dogara from the North-East, Hon. Pally Iriase from the South- South, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila from the South-West, Hon. Abdulmunin Jibrin, North-West, Hon. Mohammed Mungono, North-East and Hon. Ajibola Famuwera, South-West.

Meanwhile the North-East and North-West alone have bulk votes of 160, almost half of the total MEMBERS of the House which is  360.

The PDP has 130 bulk votes which could be swayed in any direction while 70 votes come from the South West.

The North gang-up could catapult a northern candidate to the coveted position.

What this would translate into is that THREE Nigeria top positions, the president, the Senate President and Speaker, may remain in the North.

The issue at stake HERE  is where will the yet to be inaugurated Gen. Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government zone the position of Speaker.

His party, (APC) had maintained a chilling silence making Nigerians to guess precisely which zone would secure the position.

The North-West and South-West already have both the positions of president and vice.

The Senate presidency is said to have  been tacitly zoned to the North-Central.

The North-East last week issued a statement  demanding for either the position of Speaker or Senate President.

The South-East and South-South, from all indications, have no say on the issue of Speaker or Senate President as both zones massively voted for the outgoing ruling party, the PDP.

But Edo, from the South-South and South-East produced THREE APC Reps who, against all odds, defeated PDP candidates in the state.

If APC decides to dump both zones – South-South and South-East-this will automatically show that the dictum of WINNER takes it all has come to fore.

This may portend danger for a party which campaign slogan was ‘change’.

But in this PRESENT dispensation with an APC government at the centre, the scenario may be different.

What basically may make the difference will largely depend on how the party zones the leadership structure of the House.

Technically, the South East has been knocked out as no APC lawmaker emerged from the zone.

The battle is between the North-East and the South-South.

Some lawmakers, who spoke to Sunday Vanguard under the condition of anonymity, described it  as a dicey situation for the APC.

One of the lawmakers from the North-Central said: “It is a dicey situation because it can’t be the WINNER takes it all arrangement as the South made it possible for APC to emerge at the centre”.

“Let me explain further, if you give the North the positions of president and Senate President, then what do you give to the South-South and the South-East?

“The South-South should be given the position as this will make the House work  amicably with the centre.

“If this permutation fails, then expect a stiff  opposition from the House in this new dispensation”.

Another lawmaker from the South-East said: “We worked for the PDP to our own detriment but that does not mean we should be relegated to the background as  we must GET something tangible elsewhere not  necessarily from the House”.

A lawmaker from the South-South argued: “From all indications, the position should be given to us as we deserve it this time around more than any zone despite the fact that our APC men are few.

“If they use that as a yardstick, then there is no equity and fairness in the whole arrangement because of the philosophy of the WINNER takes it all then you now jettison a good arrangement”.

But a lawmaker from the North-East  had a contrary view. He said: “We produced more lawmakers from our zone and for that simple reason we should get it  this time around.

“We must be given our rightful position as we delivered far more than the South-South; check the  statistics yourself.

“But ONE thing is certain, the party  leadership will take the right decision at the end of the day; just watch out”.

Vanguard however gathered that the two major contenders from both zones are already strategising and networking both the old and new lawmakers before the 8th assembly kick STARTS.

Dogara is said to be networking as to how to ensure he emerges relying on his legislative experience.

He was in the race in 2011 but had to step down at the  11th hour to allow Tambuwal emerge.

In the 6th assembly he was the chairman House committee on Customs and the PRESENT chairman House committee on House Services. He is a lawyer.

Dogara is seen by his colleagues as a forthright lawmaker that is very meticulous in all his legislative duties.

On the other hand, Iriase is an astute politician with many years of grassroots politics in Edo.

At a time, he was the Deputy Speaker of the Edo House of Assembly.

He was also a two-time council chairman and he eventually became the Secretary to the Edo State Government before proceeding to the National Assembly in 2011.

He was a ranking MEMBER of the group of politicians who took Edo State away from the PDP to Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in 2007 general elections.

Gbajabiamila is said to be working on his speakership project  with the zeal of a wounded lion.

He is PRESENTLY the Minority Leader of the House and a 4th timer with over 12 years legislative experience.

Mungono, a lawyer, is a third term MEMBER.

Jibrin is the youngest among the six contenders.

He is PRESENTLY the Chairman of the House Committee on FINANCE. He is a MEMBER of committees on foreign affairs, gas, electoral matters, youth development and special duties.

Famurewa is an engineer and second term legislator from Osun.

The six lawmakers  do have the tall credentials to run the affairs of the 8th session but a lot would be determined by the APC leadership for a Speaker to emerge.