9th National Assembly: Gbajabiamila Gifts Lawmakers Smartphones

The All Progressives Congress (APC) anointed candidate for the speakership of the 9th House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabianmila, has injected a new style into his campaign for the office as he gathered members-elect from across political divides in Abuja to sell his manifesto to them.

Apart from unveiling his game plan for the forthcoming election for principal officers of the National Assembly slated for next month, Gbajiabiamila also lavished the lawmakers with gift items.

However, journalists were asked to leave the New Chelsea Hotel in Abuja, the venue of the meeting, before the gifts were distributed to the lawmakers.

The gifts included smartphones, among other items, which the lawmakers were seen carrying around in packs as they posed for photographs, the New Telegraph newspaper reported.

Sources at the closed-door meeting claimed that the members-elect signed the register for the phones and other gift items in an envelope before all was handed to them.

The sources declined to disclose what was in the envelope that each beneficiary received.

It was learnt that the meeting was presided over by Gbajabiamila, who hinted that he currently enjoys the support of 178 reps-elect from all the major political parties in the House.

This number, according to his political loyalists in the green chamber, is sufficient to win him the speakership seat.