Doguwa, Two Others Withdraw From Speakership Race, Backs Abbas

The majority leader of the House of Representatives, and an aspirant for the Speakership position, Alhassan Doguwa, has withdrawn from the race.

Naija News reports that Doguwa’s withdrawal from the speakership race came as a surprise to many following his stance against the nomination of Abbas and Kalu by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He was linked with a group of seven speakership aspirants who have vowed that the speaker from the 10th National Assembly would be elected from among them.

Speaking on Wednesday night at a meeting with lawmakers-elect at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja, Doguwa said his withdrawal from the race is in the interest of the party.

Doguwa said he dropped his speakership ambition the day the All Progressives Congress (APC) nominated Abbas and Kalu for the speaker and deputy speakership positions of the incoming House of Representatives.

The Kano lawmaker stated that Abbas is qualified and has the legislative experience to lead the 359 members of the house, adding that he will continue to support the party’s choice because he is a beneficiary of the zoning arrangement.

Also, two aspirants for the speakership position, Abubakar Maki and Olatunji Olawuyi, withdrew from the race and backed Abbas as the consensus candidate for the Speaker.

Naija News reports that the Speaker of the Green Chamber, Femi Gbajabiamila;  Tajudeen Abbas, and Benjamin Kalu were also at the meeting.