By Femi Ogunshola
The consensus candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the position of Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas (APC-Kaduna), has said that he is competent for the job ahead.
Abbas said this while speaking to newsmen at the end of the meeting of the Joint Task, a group of lawmakers pushing for his emergence on Tuesday in Abuja
He said: “I feel elated my party considered me for the job. I feel inspired, because I believe that if the party is going to use competence as a yardstick, I’m the right person to be picked.”
He said for the fact that the party did what was expected they would do, “I feel very elated and satisfied.”
Asked if he has started reaching out to some aggrieved aspirants who were not happy with his choice as a consensus candidate, he said, “We are reaching out to them.
“We are in the process, we have reached out to so many, and we will continue reaching out to all of them and before the end of next week, I assure you we will reach out to all aspirants.”
Abbas said he would implore them and asked them to come on board, so they could together work for the good of Nigeria.
The lawmaker said he would officially declare his intention next week in a 16 points agenda.
According to him, in that agenda, you will see all the areas we are going to work on in the 10th Assembly then you will know what we have for members and for this country.
Similarly, Rep. Benjamin Kalu (APC-Abia), the APC consensus for the Deputy Speakership, said: ”I feel good. I feel highly elated that my party considered me to go for this position.”
He said with his choice from South East, the APC has commenced strategy for the 2027 elections by making sure that they have a foot in the region.
He said what the party had done with his nominations was in the spirit of inclusion, adding that the South East would feel the power of cohesion and national loyalty.
This he said would be driven by virtue of inclusion that has taken place, adding that it was a wise decision to include the South East people in the structure of the new Government.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Joint Task group, Rep. Bello Kumo, said the group would try as much as possible to ensure a rancour-free friendship and family in the 10th Assembly.
He said there was the need to bring all members-elect to the general meeting to highlight the basis for the existence of the group.
“What we are doing is to partner with you and ensure that we have a stable 10th Assembly like other previous leaders and assemblies enjoyed.
(NAN)
