While President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has yet to make a formal announcement on the presiding officers of the 10th National Assembly, some northern leaders are reportedly insisting on producing both the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
According to reports, Tinubu met with lawmakers-elect on Thursday night at Aso Rock Villa, but some of the contenders, including former governors of Zamfara and Abia states, Abdulaziz Yari and Orji Kalu, among others, were not present.
A lawmaker-elect, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, stated. “At the time you called, I was about to enter the Villa.” Nothing has changed for the time being. During our meeting, the president made no mention of our names. All he said was that we should work together and cooperate. That was the only thing he said.”
“I am just leaving the meeting, and the president did not say he has preferred candidates,” the source said of whether the president will support Senators Godswill Akpabio and Tajudeen Abass for the Senate presidency and speakership.
“This is a northern agenda, they don’t want Tinubu to control the Senate, but as for the G-6, they are still intact, although Betara has withdrawn from the race, his supporters have shifted base to Idris Wase,” he said.
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“What is most vexing is the president’s claim of religious balancing. How can he say this when his chief of staff is not even from the same state? Is Gbajabiamila a non-Muslim? On Tuesday, we’ll meet on the floor.”
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has endorsed Godswill Akpabio of the South-South zone and Senator Jubrin Barau of the North West zone as Senate president and deputy president, respectively.
Tajudeen Abass of the North West and Benjamin Kalu of the South East have been elected as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, respectively.
