One of the key contenders for the speakership of the 8th House of
Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, gave indications on Thursday that
he might not toe the zoning arrangement of the All Progressives
Congress if it would not guarantee "fairness and justice."
Dogara, who is from Bauchi State (North-East) is considered the main
challenger to House Minority Leader, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila (Lagos
State), in the race for the position.
For weeks, Gbajabiamila has been touted as the likely candidate for
the speakership under an understanding allegedly reached within the
APC's circles to zone the seat to the South-West.
The party also reportedly agreed behind the scenes to allow the
North-East, where Dogara hails from, to produce the Senate President.
But, on Thursday, Dogara came out clearly to say that the Senate and
the House were two different chambers and that a decision taken in
respect of one could not be imposed on the other.
The APC lawmaker spoke just as a new group, nicknamedThe Patriots,
emerged to demand that the candidate for the speakership must pass an
"integrity test" as against an individual emerging on the basis of
party zoning arrangement.
Dogara described the North-East as the poorest geo-political zone in
the country that required the backing of other zones in the sharing of
political offices.
He also stated that the reported prospect of the zone producing the
senate president did not in any way affect his aspiration.
He addressed a news conference where he said, "We represent the
aspirations of a zone that is the poorest in the country.
"There are candidates from other zones that already hold leadership
positions in the APC, yet they are running for the position of
Speaker. Why are questions not being asked in their own case?"
Dogara admitted that the APC must be passing through a difficult
period in taking a position on the issue, but he advised the party to
be guided aright so as not to hurt the feelings of members.
At least 22 members, including Peoples Democratic Party lawmakers,
backed Dogara on Thursday as he spoke.
Among them were Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs,
Mr. Zakari Mohammed (Kwara APC); Chairman, House Committee on
Aviation, Mrs. Nkiruka Onyejeocha (Abia PDP); Adams Jagaba (Kaduna
APC); Mr. Emmanuel Ekon (Akwa Ibom PDP); Binta Maigeri (Gombe PDP);
Mr. Ezikiel Adaji (Benue PDP); Mr. Abubakar Kannike (Kwara APC); Mr.
Linus Okorie (Ebonyi PDP); and Mr. Herman Hembe (Benue APC).
Dogara, a lawyer and third-timer, said his reason for joining the race
was because "Change", the APC's slogan, to him, meant "simply to
work."
On its part,The Patriots, at its inaugural news briefing on Thursday,
described itself as a "bi partisan legislative interest group" that
was out to ensure that the candidate for the office was the very best
among lawmakers.
The group also clarified that it was not out to support imposition of
candidates by forces outside the National Assembly, but would vote
based on the belief that the speaker passed an integrity test.
The convener of the group, Mr. Musa Serkin-Ada, said, "Our group
deliberately focuses on both the election processes and quality of
candidates, as opposed to business-as-usual groups that crowd around
individual candidates wishing to contest for speakership and other
positions.
"We are more interested in setting the parameters - principles,
vision, mission, quality and commitment - of those who aspire to lead
us, as opposed to supporting individuals in return for sharing the
spoils of office."
According to the group, one way of conducting the integrity test was
to organise an elaborate debate for the contestants to tell members
why they qualified to be speaker.
However, a member from Lagos State and Senator-elect, Mr. Solomon
Olamilekan, claimed that Gbajabiamila already had close to "85 per
cent support" of members for the speakership.
Olamilekan also claimed that "over 200 members" attended a meeting
with Gbajabiamila on Wednesday where they gave him their full backing.
The Patriotsclaimed that it had members from APC, PDP, All
Progressives Grand Alliance, Labour Party and Accord in its folds.
--PUNCH
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