A top contender for the position of Speaker of the 10th Assembly, Mukhtar Betara, has withdrawn from the race and endorsed the anointed candidate of the ruling APC, Abbas Tajudeen.
Another contender, Yusuf Gagdi, also agreed to step down for Mr Tajuddeen after the duo had a meeting with President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Addressing the press after the meeting, Vice President Kashim Shettima thanked the speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila and governor of Niger State, Umar Bago, for brokering the truce.
A statement by the Tajudeen Abbas/Benjamin Kalu Joint Task Campaign Office on Sunday in Abuja also said Mr Abbas has secured the endorsement of the overwhelming majority of members-elect across the eight political parties in the six geopolitical zones.
According to the statement, Mr Abbas is ready to compete on the floor of the House and take the mantle of leadership of the 10th House on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
“It is pertinent to mention that the so-called G7 no longer exists as key members of the forum such as Rep. Ado Doguwa, Rep. Muktar Betara, Rep. Yusuf Gagdi, Rep. Makki Yalleman and Rep. Raheem Olawuyi, among others have since dropped their speakership ambitions and declared support for the Abbas/Kalu ticket.
“It is worthy to note that Betara and Gagdi announced that they stepped down for Abbas on Sunday, June 11, 2023, after a meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima,” the statement said.
The campaign office faulted media reports claiming that President Tinubu never mentioned Abbas as his preferred candidate.
They recalled that the National Working Committee, NWC, of the All Progressives Congress, APC, had on May 8, 2023, consulted with the President before reaching that resolution on the zoning arrangement.
The party zoned the office of the Senate President to Sen. Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom (South-South) while the Deputy Senate President was zoned to Sen. Barau Jibrin of Kano (North-West).
The party also zoned the office of the Speaker, House of Representatives to Rep. Abass Tajudeen of Kaduna state (South-West) and the Deputy Speaker to Rep. Benjamin Kalu of Abia (South East).
“Therefore, it is preposterous to claim that President Tinubu was not aware of the adoption of Rep. Tajudeen Abbas as Speaker. We urge the public, especially the media, to disregard such claims,” they said.
