A group, Defenders of Constitutional Democracy (CDC) has appealed to all Speakership aspirants in the House of Representatives to accept Tajudeen Abass and Benjamin Kalu as the All Progressives Congress (APC) concensus candidates for Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the 10th Assembly respectively.
The other aspirants include; the Deputy Speaker Ahmed Idris Wase, House leader Alhassan Ado Doguwa, Muktar Betara, Yusuf Gagdi, Sada Soli, Aminu Sani Jaji, Abubakar Makki Yalleman, Abdulhameed Olawuyi and Hon. Miriam Onuoha.
The group in a statement on Saturday jointly signed by the National convener of CDC, Alhaji Aliyu Abdullahi and Director, Contact and Mobilisation, Dr. Chukwuma Okoro called on the other aspirants “Not to rock the boat but work for the success of the party and larger interest of the nation”.
“As democrats and patriotic Nigerians who are interested in the unity and peace of this nation, we appealed to all the aggrieved aspirants to the position of speaker of the House of Representatives to accept the endorsement of Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abass and Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu as the speaker and deputy speaker respectively as an act of God.
“It is only God that gives power and he designs it his own way and everybody with his or her own time. We appeal to you people to accept the decision of the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the hierarchy of the party on these two gentlemen with the spirit of sportsmanship. You, people, could be speakers or even hold higher positions tomorrow.
“There is no need to gang up against the anointed candidates and the party because of the opposition and waiting in the wings to exploit your differences. Please, do not throw the party into disarray because of leadership positions”, the group stated.
It also commended the Joint Task-10th Assembly members for accepting the APC candidates as their choice and supporting them to emerge as presiding officers.
The Joint Task-10th Assembly is a Forum of Members -Elect across all the political Parties that have members in the incoming 10th Assembly.
It could be recalled that, the Deputy Speaker Ahmed Idris Wase, House leader Alhassan Ado Doguwa, Muktar Betara, Yusuf Gagdi, Sada Soli, Aminu Sani Jaji, Abubakar Makki Yalleman and Miriam Onuoha have kicked against the choice of Abbas and Kalu as concensus candidates.
They have already formed an alliance tagged ‘G7’ and have registered their grievances before the APC National leadership saying that, anointing the candidates was undemocratic, unfair and negates the principles of independence of the Legislatture.
