10th NASS: Yayi, Gagdi, Kazaure Reject APC’s Endorsement Of Akpabio, Abbas

A fresh crisis might be brewing in the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the June inauguration of the 10th National Assembly as many lawmakers-elect have rejected the endorsed candidate of the party and President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Naija News reports that the APC National Working Committee and Tinubu have endorsed a former Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, as the next Senate President and Speaker of the House of the Representatives, respectively.

However, this decision has been rejected by the Senator-elect for Zamfara West and Senate presidential aspirant, Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari, a member representing Pankshin/Kanke/ Kanam Federal Constituency of Plateau State, Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, and a member representing the Kazaure, Roni, Gwiwa, Yankwashi federal constituency of Jigawa State, Muhammed Kazaure.

Speaking on Saturday while meeting with the executives of the Tinubu Shettima Network (TSN), Yari stated that the presiding officers of the Upper Chamber of the Assembly would be determined by the constitutional provision and not by anyone else.

He said the contest for the Senate Presidency should be based on constitutional provisions and not instructions by anyone.

He said: “The senate presidency is a senator’s business and, on the day, when we are going to do it, everybody may think of the body of the party or anyone who is advisory to what we are going to do that day; the final decision is ours.

“When we do that, we are not for anybody. We are doing what the constitution says that we should take our leader within ourselves.

“That is what the sections of the constitution stated very clearly. What is going to happen that day – it is going to happen based on the instructions of the constitution and not for anyone. ()

“So, we are going to exercise our constitutional rights there.”

On his part, Hon. Gagdi, who declared his intention to contest for the 10th Assembly Speaker, rejected the adoption of Abbas.

He appealed to his party’s leadership, the APC, and other stakeholders to cede the speaker’s position to the North-central geopolitical zone, which has not gotten the position since the return to democratic rule in 1999.

In a goodwill message, Hon Kazaure warned the APC leadership against imposing a Speakership candidate on the House.

Kazaure said he would prevail on Aliyu Betara, who is also contesting for the position to drop his ambition and back Gagdi.

He recalled that Betara singlehandedly influenced the votes that led to the emergence of Yakubu Dogara and his successor, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, as Speaker of the House of Representatives in the 8th and 9th Assemblies.