The former Governor of Ogun State, Olusegun Osoba, has publicly stated his support for the incumbent Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Idris Wase, for the speakership of the House of Representatives. Osoba expressed his endorsement during a trip made by Wase to Lagos and Port Harcourt on Monday.
As Nigeria approaches the June inauguration of the 10th National Assembly, Osoba’s support for Wase highlights the importance of the upcoming contest. Osoba referred to Wase as his beloved son and emphasized that the north-central zone deserves the position of speaker. According to Osoba, the north-central region has been vital in the APC’s electoral victories and should be rewarded with the speakership position based on performance.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Nigeria’s main opposition party, had previously planned to mobilize its members and other minority parties in the House of Representatives to gain relevance. However, the decision of Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and former Governor of Delta State James Ibori to support Wase dealt a significant blow to the PDP’s plans.
Betara, an aspirant for the speakership, had opened talks with PDP leaders, hoping to gain their support for his candidacy. However, influential PDP members had an alternative plan to form alliances with other parties to outsmart the divided APC.
The opposition parties have a combined membership of 163, which is more than the APC’s 162. The PDP has 102 seats, followed by Labour Party LP, which has 34 seats, New Nigerian Peoples Party NNPP, which has 18 seats, All Progressives Grand Alliance APGA, which has four seats, while the Social Democratic Party SDP and African Democratic Congress ADC have two seats each.
Ibori, while receiving Wase and his delegation, expressed his full support and directed his supporters, who are members of the House, to vote for Wase. Similarly, Governor Wike reiterated his resolve to collaborate with the central government and promised to provide Wase with the necessary support to ensure his victory.
Comments are closed.