Tomorrow, June 11, 2019, the 9th House of Representatives will be inaugurated. It will also mark the beginning of a new legislative assembly. It will be the coming on board to the green chambers of new and returning members to Nigeria’s second highest legislative body. What is more important to Nigerians is those who will become principal officers of the new chamber.
This is so because the house, being a conglomeration of the representatives of all Nigerians, is believed to have a direct bearing of Nigerians they represent by way of law making and oversight functions.
One lawmaker who is believed to become the next helmsman of the hallowed chamber is Femi Gbajabiamila of the All Progressives Congress, APC from Lagos State representing Surulere Federal Constituency.
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Gbajabiamila has received the endorsements of various groups, members-elect, the national leadership of his party and state governors.
Despite these endorsements for Gbajabiamila, the coast seem not yet clear for the emergence of the lawmaker for the exalted position as some other lawmakers within his own party are also eyeing and fighting hard to clinch the seat.
Other forces against him are the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) as well as some power brokers within the APC.
Lawmaker Eyeing Speakership
John Dyegh
With some other lawmakers who have reportedly stepped down for Gbajabiamila in the race of speaker, one standing force in the way for Gbajabiamila is John Dyegh representing Gboka/Tarka federal constituency of Benue. Dyegh is still in the race despite Gbajabiamila’s endorsement by his party.
He has continuously maintained that his involvement in the contest is not to oppose the Muhammadu Buhari led federal government, as his decision to contest against the zoning formula of the party was not an affront on the national leadership of the party.
He said he was only offering his party and his colleagues at the house an option of choice.
Unless something is done fast in the couple of hours left before the inauguration of the house to persuade or convince the lawmaker, Dyegh is capable of causing an upset for Gbajabiamila.
This is because both Dyegh and Gbajabiamila are of same party, which if they both go into the race, might be to the advantage of the opposition party, who may have a sinister plan in the offing against the APC.
Power Brokers Within APC
It is no longer news that Gbajabiamila, aside enjoying endorsements from almost all segment of the country for speakership, is also believed to be a trusted ally of the National Leader of the APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Tinubu who is considered to have a national bearing on the political landscape of the country was recently rumoured of nursing a presidential ambition for 2023. This rumour did not go down within the party, as it was alleged that his support for Gbajabiamila was for him to help him realise his ambition of becoming the country’s leader in the next dispensation.
Despite Tinubu himself refuting the insinuation, power brokers within the party may still have the fears that the national leader still nurses the ambition and as a result may not support Gbajabiamila to become speaker such that it will weaken Tinubu against 2023, because it is believed that the house speaker has a lot to play determining chances of a president.
CUPP’s Allegation
Gbajabiamila is facing allegation of conviction by a United States court in Georgia by the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP).
According to the Spokesperson of CUPP, Imo Ugochinyere, the federal lawmaker is not competent to be the speaker of the House of Representatives because he had earlier been convicted of “willful dishonesty” by the Supreme Court of the State of Georgia in the United States.
He said the CUPP, through the Action Peoples Party, had commenced criminal proceedings against the lawmaker before Grade 1 Area Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Karshi.
However, the Director General of the Gbajabiamila/Wase Campaign Organisation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, debunked the allegation by the CUPP that the House Leader had been convicted in the United States of America (U.S.A).
This allegation may stand in the way for the emergence of Gbajabiamila as speaker.