Diverse positions trailing the race for speakership of the 10th House of Representatives has created a crack within the minority caucus ahead of inauguration of the new parliament in June.
The division camer into the open Monday night when a faction known as Minority Parties Forum (MPF) adopted Tajudeen Abass (Kaduna) and Benjamin Kalu (Abia) of the All Progressive Congress (APC’s) as candidates for the speaker and deputy speaker.
This came few hours after the minority caucus under the aegis of ‘greater majority’ going by its number of 182 said it met with all the speakership aspirants who were found worthy but declare support nfor any of the aspirants.
The MPF at the meeting attended by 68 members settled for Abass and Kalu sequel to a motion moved by Tijani Abdulkadir (NNPP-Kano) and seconded by Agbodike Pascal (APGA-Anambra).
Reading a communique after the meeting, leader of the forum, Iduma Igariwey, affirmed the adoption of the APC backed lawmakers for speaker and deputy speaker and said the forum will among other things, ” be united and focused on the primary responsibility of the minority parties in the 10th assembly, which is to provide a vibrant and credible opposition in parliament for the entrenchment of good governance in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
On the other hand, Afam Ogene, the co-spokesperson of ‘greater majority’ also at a meeting in Abuja said a committee set up by the caucus met with APC speakership aspirants and all of them seemed to be qualified for position.
“We met with those aspiring for the position of speaker of the House of Representatives, but because we have not briefed our members, I will not go into details of our interface.
“But I can assure you, everyone that put himself or herself up to runn for the position appears to be qualified,” Ogene said.
