With President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yet to make a formal pronouncement on the presiding officers of the 10th National Assembly, some northern leaders are reportedly insisting that the north produce both the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives.
OsunDaily News reports that Tinubu had on Thursday met with lawmakers-elect at Aso Rock Villa Thursday night, but some of the contenders, including former governors of Zamfara and Abia states, Abdulaziz Yari and Orji Kalu, among others, were absent at the meeting.
Speaking on the development, a lawmaker-elect, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Vanguard: “At the time you called, I was about entering the Villa. For now, nothing has changed. The president didn’t mention any name while meeting with us. All he said was that we should work and be united. That was all he said.”
On whether the president will support Senator Godswill Akpabio and Tajudeen Abass for the Senate presidency and speakership, the source said: “I am just leaving the meeting, and the president didn’t say he has preferred candidates.”
On the North’s position on the 10th NASS leadership, he said: “This is a northern agenda, they don’t want Tinubu to control the Senate, but as for the G-6, they are still intact, although Betara has withdrawn from the race his supporters have shifted base to Idris Wase.
“The president’s claim of religious balancing is what is most vexatious. How can he say so because his chief of staff is not just from Lagos, the same state? Is Gbajabiamila not a Muslim? We shall meet on the floor on Tuesday.”
Recall that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has backed Godswill Akpabio from the South-South zone and Senator Jubrin Barau from the North West zone as Senate president and deputy president, respectively.
Tajudeen Abass from the North West and Benjamin Kalu from the South East as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.
