The race for the leadership of the incoming 10th House of Representatives is heating up, with opposition figures, including Atiku Abubakar, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, and Yakubu Dogara, allegedly supporting the bid of Muktar Aliyu Betara, Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations.
Meanwhile, aspirants for the Speakership position are actively lobbying the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which is expected to produce the Speaker.
Some of the aspirants contesting for the position of the 10th Speaker of the House of Representatives are, Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Idris Wase (APC, Plateau); Yusuf Adamu Gagdi (APC, Plateau); Muktar Aliyu Betara (APC, Borno); Princess Miriam Onuoha (APC, Imo); Abbas Tajudeen (APC, Kaduna); Aminu Sani Jaji (APC, Zamfara), who was in the 8th House; Makki Yalleman (APC, Jigawa); Raheem Olawuyi (APC, Kwara); Sada Soli Jibiya (APC, Katsina); Alhassan Ado Doguwa (APC, Kano), and a few others.
Aspirants are reaching out to NWC members through proxies, and some with “deep pockets” have reportedly offered cash and gifts.
A source that spoke to TrackNews revealed that an aspirant from the Northeast who opposes zoning the Speaker position has sent $10,000 to each APC NWC member.
This aspirant aims to have the party zone the Speaker position to the North as a whole, increasing his chances of winning the seat.
Other aspirants have also sought the support of APC NWC members, with those lacking “deep pockets” contributing what they can.
This lobbying process has previously led to rebellion within the party, resulting in the election of candidates from different zones than those preferred by the party.
