Speakership race: Reps-elect allege intimidation by APC, Gbajabiamila
Aluta News
Some reps-elect have alleged that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila and APC leadership are using state governors to intimidate them to succumb to the imposition of Rep.Tajudeen Abass as Speaker of the 10th Assembly.
This is just as the Greater Majority Forum on Monday night insisted that no candidate has been endorsed by the coalition.
Some of the lawmakers-elect who spoke under the condition of anonymity said the APC leadership is using all manners of tactics to ensure that they bow to them via the imposition of an unpopular lawmaker.
One of such lawmakers from the south west geopolitical zone bared it all saying: ” This imposition won’t work because we have made up our minds not to wear the toga of a rubber stamp like the outgoing 9th Assembly.
” It’s imposition that gave birth to a rubber stamp assembly and we are going to fight to a logical conclusion on the floor of the house.
“Most of us understand the dynamics of the House and we will slug it out to ensure that the next House is truly independent but will play the role of positively impacting on state affairs that benefits all Nigerians,” the rep-elect said.
Another vibrant lawmaker from the North Central geo-political zone declared that “the lopsidedness in the 10th Assembly will witch-hunt generations yet unborn if the “unholy zoning” is allowed to fly.
“North-Central that has the highest number of lawmakers after North West which is at advantage with an extra state was not even considered in the permutations as if we are not part of Nigeria.
“They’re now using figures and our governors to intimidate us to submission, this is a dangerous trend if it’s not quickly checkmated but we will surprise them,” he said.
Reacting to the allegation, a source close to the speaker said that Gbajabiamila is not in the speakership race of the 10th Assembly.
The source said all aspirants are free to meet governors and canvas support and votes and that they are already doing so.
The source said Gbajabiamila has not been in around and has been busy with his primary duties as speaker.
According to the source, Gbajabiamila is not intimidating anybody and does not intend to do so.