Tajudeen Abbas wins over two-third majority votes

*As Sani Jaji got 3 votes, Idris Wase got 2 votes

By Christiana Ekpa

Hon. Tajudeen Abbas has emerged as the winner of the Speakership contest of the 10th House of Representatives, with over two-third majority votes

Abbas has got over two third votes from 359 members-elect on the floor of the House.

The ruling All Progressives Congress APC had chosen Hon. Tajudeen Abbas and Hon Benjamin Kalu as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the 10th House respectively.

But this did not go down with other contenders called the G7 who vowed to continue in the contest. But members of the G7 had one after the other dropped their aspiration as Speaker of the 10th Assembly, due to pressure, counsel or personal conviction.

Hon. Betara and Hon. Yusuf Gagdi had after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu, 2 days ago stated that they would not be continuing with their desire to be Speaker of 10th Assembly.

Two members of the G7 Hon. Ahmed Wase and Hon. Aminu Jaji continued in the race for speakership, making the total numbers of nominees 3.

The process commenced before 10am as the Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly, joined by the Clerk of the House presided over the session.

The DCNA took the roll call for all 359 Members-elect after which he called for nomination of candidates for the position of Speaker of the 10th House.

First Ado Doguwa nominated Tajudeen Abbas, while another lawmaker from Kwara state nominated Ahmed Idris and Hon Doro nominated Aminu Jaji fort he position of Speaker.

The three contestants accepted the nomination, after which the DCNA closed the nomination and proceeded to conduct the election which he said would be open ballot according to the amended House rule.

The house adopted the open ballot method as enshrined in its amended House rule that states that when there are more than two nominations each member-elect shall openly declare his/her candidates of choice for the position of Speaker.

As the Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlami, called the Members-elect begining from Abia state, Tajudeen Abbas was mentioned.

The states were Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Enugu, Ekiti, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Katsina, Kaduna, Kebbi, Kano, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Zamfara, states and the Federal Capital Territory all voted Tajudeen Abbas for speaker of the 10th House.

About 4 members dared to go against the party’s choice of Abba, as they voted Idris Wase or Aminu Jaji respectively.

While Sani Jaji got 3 votes, Idris Ahmed Wase got 2 votes.