By Gift Chapi-Odekina
The minority caucus of the incoming 10th House of Representatives has reiterated that it has not endorsed any aspirant for the position of Speaker of the House in the next Assembly.
The caucus also known as ‘greater majority’ going by its collective number of 182 member-elect across minority parties however said it is awaiting the inputs of their states governors and party leaders before it make decision of who to support for the position.
Convener of the group, Fredrick Agbedi (PDP) who disclosed this at a meeting in Abuja on Monday said it has appointed state and zonal coordinators who will consult and report back before the members will know the direction to follow.
This is just as the caucus last weekend said it has not endorsed any aspirant for the position of Speaker as reported by some media organisations.
The the minority parties, comprising the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP); New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP); Africa Democratic Congress (ADC); Young People’s Party (YPP); All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) said this in a statement signed by the Caucus Secretary, Ali Isa.
Isa Isa had said the caucus merely met with Femi Gbajabiamila, the outgoing speaker of the House and Tajudeen Abbas, the All Progressives Congress (APC) anointed speakership candidate who also engaged the group and made his own presentation to solicit the support of its members to work with him just like the other aspirants did.
In the same vein, Agbedi said: “Your conveners and other leaders have not either on your behalf or for you adopted anybody for the office of presiding officers. That will only take place when that agreement is reached by all of us. That decision will be our collective decision.
“But I am even saying before we get to that decision, we are going to ensure that take for example, I come from Bayelsa State, I should be able to speak with my governor, party leaders so that whatever I key into is with the understanding that my state leaders are on the same page with and that’s what we expect of all of us to do. So, that we don’t ambush Mr. A or Mr. B.
“So, I wan to assure you that we will lead ourselves to arrive at a collective decision and in doing that, we have also resolved to have State coordinators who are going to meet at their different State levels, eventually also have zonal coordinators who will also work at the zonal level in collating decision that they will finally come up with after due consultation.
“And that’s why we have invited all of us to this meeting so that we all know who and who will coordinate our States and also who will coordinate our zones so that we give the responsibility back to you, interact, consult and then chose the direction to go.
“In all the interactions we have made, our leaders have authoritatively told us that they have not given mandate to their members-elect to identify with Mr. A or Mr. B. The only mandate and directive they gave to our people is to network, interact and give them the feedback.
“And at the appropriate time, decisions will be made, agreements will be reached, alliances formed and then as minorities, we will be doing some sort of agreement as to what direction to go. So, as I stand here, I have not been given any mandate by my party or governor as to what to do.”
He said as part of their consultations with major stakeholders on the issue of the House leadership, the caucus had met with the PDP acting national chairman, Umar Damagum; the presidential candidate of LP, Peter Obi, that of NNPP, Rabiu Kwakwaso, amongst others.
The lawmaker also disclosed that members of the minority caucus will be having a retreat in Akwa-Ibom state for which participants are expected to arrive next week Wednesday.
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