Vice President-Elect, Senator Kashim Shettima has disclosed that, the All Progressives Congress (APC) settled for Abbass Tajuddeen and Benjamin Kalu as it’s concensus candidates for Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively to create balance and ensure a rancour free emergence of the National Assembly leadership,
He stated this when he received members of the Joint Task-10th Assembly in his campaign office in Abuja on Friday.
Shettima appreciated the efforts of the lawmakers to galvanise support for the party’s candidates.
“What we are trying to avoid is a situation whereby the number one citizen, number two citizen, the number three citizen, the number four citizen, the number four citizen are all of the same faith. That will validate the negative narrative of Islamization of Nigeria.
“That is why my principal, a fair minded individual, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu insist the number three citizen must come from the South/south (Christian). The stability of the nation is more important than any other consideration. We are talking about inclusivity.
The Vice President-Elect promised to do everything possible to reach out to the other aspirants to hear their grievances and chart a way forward.
“I will take upon myself to reach out to the other contenders. Rt Hon Betara is my brother. We are from the same subregion, we are from the same state and I have the best relationship with him. I met him too nights ago, I will sustain that.
“Around 1pm today I met with Rt Wase, the deputy speaker. We will continue with the engagements so we can have a rancour free Assembly.
“When Obasanjo lost grip of the National Assembly, his first tenure was a failure. President Buhari could do little in his first because of rancorous relationship between the executive and the legislature.
“What was accomplished in the last four years was because of the harmonious relationship between the executive and legislature.
“When President Goodluck Jonathan lost grip of the National Assembly when Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal emerged as the speaker, that rancorous relationship culminate into his defeat in 2015 general election. Mariam Onuoha is my friend, I will reach out to her,”he said.
He therefore advised Abass and Kalu to carry other political parties along in the distribution of committee chairmen that if they emerged presiding officers of the House.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman, Joint Task-10th Assembly,Usman Bello Kumo, informed Shettima that, the group consist of Members-Elect across all the political parties and was initially not aligned with any candidate but have resolved to go with whatever the APC decides on the way to go in election the leadership of the incoming 10th Assembly.
He said, that will create a peaceful atmosphere and create a good working relationship with the executive to move the country forward.
“In the 10th Assembly we will try to work harmoniously with the executive. In the two different instances 7th Assembly, in the 8th Assembly budget were not implemented because they were attacked.
“So if you’re not in the good book of the executive, your budget, your constituency intervention capital projects cannot see the light of the day. But in the 9th Assembly, we are committed to work harmoniously with the executive, he said.
Speaking, the APC Speakership candidate, Abass expressed gratitude to the president-elect, Bola Tinubu and his vice and assured that there will be harmonious legislative/executive relationship under their leadership which he said will be for the progress of the country.
“We are very grateful to you, the president-elect and to the party for finding us worthy for the leadership. I want to assure you that we will not disappoint the party. We will work harmoniously with the executive,” he said.
Also speaking, the APC Deputy Speakership candidate, Kalu who is the spokesperson of the House thanked the APC, Tinubu and Shetimma for rewarding the South/East despite the abysmal performance of the party at the general election in the zone.
“It is with great joy that I stand before you to say thank you. To pledge our commitment to your administration, rancour free, acrimony free administration. It’s a pledge.
“In your magnanimity you decided to show that cohesion was necessary for nation building. But this time, irrespective of the votes that come from the South East, you considered cohesion and gave us deputy speaker, we are grateful.
“Sir, here we have over 153 members some of whom are outside who are in support of the decision that the party has taken. Because this is the decision that will give every part of the nation a sense of belonging”,he said.
