10th NASS: No Change In Tinubu’s Choice Of Akpabio, Abbas For Senate President, Speaker

The earlier zoning arrangement announced for the positions of the Senate president and Speaker of the House of Representatives for the 10th Assembly remain as president Bola Tinubu will not cause any alteration, THE WHISTLER has learnt.

The president met separately with the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan and the Speaker of the House of Representatives for the 9th Assembly, Femi Gbajabiamila before meeting with Tajudeen Abbas and Benjamin Kalu, at the State House, Abuja on Thursday.

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While Lawan is not in the running for the position of the Senate president, he’s returning to the red chamber. He has not made known his preferred choice for the position.

But that cannot be said of Gbajajabiamila, who has been accused of suggesting a candidate for the speakership position he may vacate soon if rumours that he would be announced as the president’s Chief of Staff, CoS, to Tinubu is anything to go by.

The Lagos federal lawmaker won his re-election in February.

He was reportedly said to have nominated Abbas and Kalu which received Tinubu’s endorsement before the announcement by the party.

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The arrangement has faced opposition from several quarters with reports emerging during the week that Tinubu may be planning to ditch Akpabio.

But it was gathered following inquiries on Thursday as a result of the meeting the president held with some of the interested parties that he remains committed.

A member of his camp said “there’s zero chance of the president changing his position. Rather he would allow all those interested to contest and whoever wins, wins and would be accommodated.”

This paper had earlier reported Tinubu made it clear his choice remains as abandoning his position in the face of apparent rebellion against the arrangements could be seen as an act of weakness.

Although details of the meetings have not been known as no official statement has been issued yet, the president’s camp doubled down his knowledge of the president’s position insisting, “No change, everyone may as well contest,” when pressed further.

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Abbas is facing stiff opposition from G-7 and the caucus of the All Progressives Congress, APC, from the Northcentral.

There are reports that the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, is also not in support of his candidacy.

The lawmaker is from Kaduna State, in the Northwest geopolitical zone.

The stiffest opposition is being faced by Kalu, whose Southeast caucus has distanced themselves from him.

Kalu who won his election to return to the House for the second term is vying to be Abbas’ deputy.

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