Speakership Contest: APC Reps Disagree With Tinubu's Zoning, Upsetting The Plan

The All Progressives Congress (APC), which is now in power, is balancing on a precarious line in the House of Representatives as MPs plot to revoke the zoning plan put forth by President-elect Bola Tinubu and approved by the party's leadership.

Tajudeen Abbas, a legislator from Kaduna State, was chosen by the National Working Committee on Monday as the consensus candidate, and Ben Kalu, a lawmaker from Abia State, was chosen as the deputy speaker.

Later that night, all of the major contenders—Deputy Speaker Idris Wase, Ado Doguwa, Yusuf Gagdi, Sada Soli, Ahmed Jaji, and Miriam Onuoha—appeared at Muktar Betara's proclamation and, in a shocking move, openly rejected Abbas as the consensus choice.

"We will defeat those forces that think Nigeria is in their pocket," Deputy Speaker Wase said while addressing the crowd. He also disclosed that five of the aspirants already joined forces against the establishment.

Other contenders including Soli, Doguwa, and Jaji also spoke, declaring their willingness to oppose and dethrone the chosen one.

"APC does not have the number to tell lawmakers to go to hell. The entire majority is small, compared to the last assembly when APC had over 200," a lawmaker in the camp of one of the aspirants said during a meeting on Sunday.

The list of members-elect demonstrates that the number of members in the ruling party is in fact lower than the total of all minority parties. The opposition parties have 181, compared to 177 for the APC.

The current situation is comparable to the 8th Assembly, where Yakubu Dogara and Yusuf Lasun joined forces with the opposition in 2015 and defeated Femi Gbajabiamila and Mohammed Monguno, the chosen candidate.

This paper has learned that Abdulmummin Jibrin has been organizing opposition parliamentarians, including NNPP, Labour Party, and PDP members, while the bulk of Northeastern lawmakers are supporting Betara.

Between Betara and Abbas' squad, the minority faction appears to be split. While Betara is in charge of the "greater majority" group, the caucus formed by some members who are Gbajabiamila supporters has been supporting Abbas.

There are signs that some of the contenders might withdraw once negotiations get going.

Mr. Tinubu had been cautioned by the APC NWC to make sure that they boost consultation.

"The NWC called for further and better consultation with necessary stakeholders in order to assure the support of the aspirants to the National Assembly leadership positions and members of the Party nationwide," it reads.

The opposition gets involved in the race

The opposition party is preparing to replace the ruling party while it struggles with an internal crisis.

One of the opposition parties' spokespeople, Dachung Bagos, said that the minority group had decided to elect one of its members as Speaker.

"We have already agreed to contest for the presiding offices," he said.

Given that several of them are already playing key roles in the campaigns of APC members, the parties may have difficulty uniting the entire minority of MPs.