Members-elect on the platform of the opposition parties in the House of Representatives, known as the Greater Majority are now split about which Speaker and Deputy Speaker candidates to endorse.
Members of the ‘Greater Majority’ are spread out among the seven opposition parties in the upcoming 10th House of Representatives.
The parties are Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Young Progressives Party (YPP), Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Action Democratic Congress (ADC).
To discuss the best course of action, the group convened two concurrent meetings at the Transcorp Hilton and Frazier Suites in Abuja on Monday night.
The sessions, however, ended on opposite notes, with one group supporting Tajuddeen Abbas (APC, Kaduna) and Benjamin Kalu (APC, Abia) as Speaker and Deputy, respectively, while the other side opposed both candidates.
The group that met at Transcorp announced their decision to continue supporting Abbas as a unit after adjourning the meeting.
The communique was signed by the Convener, Idu Igariwey, and Secretary, Kabiru Alhassan Rurum.
However, at the other meeting held at the Frazier Suites, Victor Afam Ogene, who disclosed the resolution reached by members at the meeting, said they don’t have a definite candidate to support as no member of the minority had indicated an interest in the contest.
“The committee called on Members of the minority caucus who are interested in the speakership position or Deputy Speaker position to step forward.”
“I wish to report on behalf of the Chairman of that Committee and the entire members, as at the end of the period given to undertake that assignment no member of the minority caucus better known as the greater majority stepped forward to contest for the role of presiding officers.
“Deductively this means that we are not bidding for those two positions. However, we remain united as one caucus of the opposition parties.
“We did also meet with those aspiring for the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives, but because we’ve not briefed our members, I will not go into details of our interface. But I can assure you everyone that put him or herself running for the position appear to be qualified”, he said.
The opposition had earlier constituted an 11-man committee to shop for candidates for the Speaker and Deputy to contest for the 10th House of Representatives leadership.
