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*As Gbajabiamila Formally Declares.
By Isaac Uche-Abuja.
A dark horse may eventually emerge as Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives as members elect continue scheming to outsmart the leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC, ahead of their immigration and election of Principal Officers for the two chambers of the National Assembly.
It has been observed that while, Femi Gbajabiamila, the anointed candidate of the APC was making a live television declaration of his intention to bid, some members would be members of the 9th Assembly were in another location scheming out what they called a plan ‘B’, which is likely to produce a dark horse as speaker.
Findings reveal that last weeks open endorsement of Femi Gbajabiamila by the leadership of the APC did not go down well with most members elected on the platform of the APC, even as others interested in the dealership position have declined to back down, ostensibly in readiness to test the independence of choice by members, when the house is eventually immigrated.
At a meeting of like minds amongst the members elect which held immediately after Gbajabiamila’s declaration on Sunday, it was resolved that there has to be a plan ‘B’, in the event that the ruling party fails to have its way with members.
Curiously, some members elect and serving who attended Gbajabiamila’s declaration form part of the shadow group scheming to assert the independence of the legislature.
Members who attended the Sapporo meeting of like minds may be looking towards the North East, to produce the dark horse candidate, believing that the zoning formula currently operational in the National Assembly shall remain unchanged, hence Lagos cannot produce the vice President and Speaker of the House of Representatives.
No name has yet been mentioned amongst possible contenders for the position, but sources confirmed that he may be a ranking member, who has held the chairmanship of very sensitive committees and who has been a player in NASS leadership position since 2011.
According to a member elect who spoke on conditions of anonymity, some of the people beside Gbajabiamila during his declaration were merely acting to satisfy their state governors who cajoled them to tow the party line.
He said, they were cajoled to be part of the declaration, but their spirits are somewhere else, hence their attendance at the like minds meeting at another end of Abuja, shortly after Gbajabiamila’s declaration.
He said their position is being taken in the face of the directives by the APC leadership against the need to save the National Assembly being mortgaged on the whims and caprices if a tiny group that plan to hijack government and foist their selfish wishes in place of popular policies.
“I can confirm to you that, while we have not openly appeared in the media to state our position, we are agreed that we shall prop up a dark horse, who will eventually carry the day when we elect the next speaker. The directive to elect a leader under Durex did not go down well with us, and very soon, we shall name the person we want to he speaker,” he maintained.
As it is, APC leaders, including Bola Ahmed Tinny, Adams Oshomole and Governors Abdullah Ganduje and Nadir El-Rufai, have been fuming against the likely disobedience to party directives, but feelers indicate that the 9th National Assembly may take off in turmoil, in the choice of its principal officers.
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