Speakership: Gbajabiamila, Dogara, Iriase lobby new Reps

Some front runners for the position of the Speaker ofthe 8th House of Representatives intensified campaign for support on Monday in Abuja as newly-elected members arrived in the city for their induction programme.Among the 360 members of the House to be inaugurated on June 6 are over 290 newcomers, the majorityof who will determine the successor to the outgoing Speaker, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal.Findings byThe PUNCHshowed that the newcomers started arriving in Abuja on Saturday and checked in at the Transcorps Hotel.On Sunday, which was the inaugural night of the induction programme,The PUNCHgathered that the front runners started inviting the new lawmakers for meetings.The House Minority Leader, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila; the Chairman, Committee on House Services, Mr. Yakubu Dogara; and a member of the House Committee on Public Accounts, Mr. Pally Iriase, reportedly moved in to market their candidature.Similarly, the Chairman, House Committee on Finance, Mr. Abdulmumin Jibrin, was also said to have formally addressed “a letter of intention” to vie for the speakership to all new and returning members.“Extensive lobbying has been going on since Sunday night. There have been visits to the rooms of some members for campaign,”a National Assembly aide informed The PUNCH on Monday.Dogara, Gbajabiamila and Jibrin allegedly held meetings with separate groups inside the Congress Hall of Transcorps Hotel on Sunday night.On Monday, Iriase also stormed the International Conference Centre, the second venue of the induction course to canvass support.Soon after he arrived, Dogara too was seen hurrying into the venue, slowing down briefly to hold side meetings with some members before he entered the auditorium.Although, the All Progressives Congress had yet to make a categorical statement on the zoning of key political offices like the Senate President and the Speaker,The PUNCHlearnt that the “ understanding’’ was to zone the seat of Speaker to the South-West.Gbajabiamila is the key runner from the zone.But, Dogara, Iriase and Jibrin were said to continue to canvass support because any of the three could likely become the deputy Speaker.WhenThe PUNCHcontacted Gbajabiamila to confirm whether the position had been zoned to the South-West where he hails from, he parried the question.When asked whether it was now time to round off discussions with members, he simply replied, “We are here, we are here; we are working.”However, he was seen arriving the venue of the programme in company with Tambuwal on Monday, waving at members.On his own part, Iriase simply smiled and said he remained in the race.But speaking at the same venue, the Peoples Democratic Party caucus of the House restated its earlier stance that the House would elect a Speaker for itself and not a political party.The Deputy House Majority Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor, said lawmakers were not bothered by any zoning formula adopted by the APC, as they would “in keeping with practice,’’ elect their Speaker.He added, “The 1999 Constitution is very clear on this matter. Go and read Section 50 (b) of the constitution; it says ‘members shall elect from among themselves a Speaker.’ It does not say a political party shall appoint a Speaker for the House.“It implies that any member deemed competent and qualified to be Speaker will be elected by members.’’When asked whether such a member could be Leo Ogor or any other PDP member, he said “no comments” and rushed out of the ICC.