180 OPPOSITION MEMBERS-ELECT VOW TO OPPOSE APC CANDIDATE, SAYS SPEAKER

Around 180 members-elect from opposition political parties have joined forces to elect the next speaker and deputy speaker of the House of Representatives in the 10th National Assembly.

The newly elected members of the alliance expressly guaranteed Nigerians that the coalition will put a stop to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)'s eight years of alleged misrule.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Labour Party (LP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Young Progressive Party (YPP) are among the parties.

In a statement issued following their meeting on Tuesday, the minority caucus pledged to run for the offices of House presiding officers because it has the 'larger majority' of over 180 members.

The meeting's conveners, including Fred Agbedi (PDP), Abdulmumin Jibrin (NNPP), and Gaza Gbefwi (SDP), signed the communique. Among those present were Dennis Agbo (LP), Idris Salman (ADC), Agbodike Pascal (APGA), and Chinwe Nnabuife (YPP).

They resolved "To contest the office of Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the 10th House of Representative of the National Assembly.

"Produce credible and acceptable candidate that would vie for those offices, and then actively seek the unification of Nigerians along ethno-religious lines.

"The Greater Majority with more than 180 elected members (being over 50 per cent of the elected member) will remain one indivisible coalition during the 10th National Assembly, with the interest of the country as its driving force.

"That the greater Majority of the 10th National Assembly will be continually guided by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, with the collective interest of Nigerians being its major concern.

"To assure Nigerians not to lose hope due to the country's current unpleasant situation, including the disunity plaguing the nation, which is the direct consequence of APC's misrule and that the Greater majority of the incoming 10th National assembly will remedy these problems as a matter of priority.