Indications emerged on Friday that the President-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has also endorsed Sen. Godswill Akpabio from Akwa-Ibom, South-South, and Sen. Barau Jibrin from Kano State, North-West, as Senate President and Deputy Senate President respectively.
There are indications that the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has settled for Hon Tajudeen Abbas and Hon Ben Kalu as the Speaker and deputy Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives, a move that leaves the North-central zone out of the top six positions.
Hon Abbas, a lawmaker from Kaduna State North-west, was picked as the preferred candidate during a meeting held on Friday afternoon at the Defence House, the official residence of the president-elect it was learned.
Hon Kalu, a lawmaker from Abia State, South-east, was picked to balance what has now become a joint ticket.
Indications emerged on Friday that Asiwaju Tinubu has also settled for Godswill Akpabio from Akwa-Ibom, South-south, and Barau Jibrin from Kano State, North-west, as senate president and deputy senate president respectively.
With Tinubu from the South-west and his running mate, Kashim Shettima from North-East—the presiding offices were expected to be zoned to the remaining four geopolitical zones.
However, Asiwaju Tinubu and his party have now zoned the Speaker and deputy senate president to the North-west, while the South-south and South-east now have senate president and deputy speaker respectively.
As things stand, there are still several aspirants in the race for the speakership but it’s unclear if they will agree to step down.
One of the aspirants from North-Central, on the condition of anonymity said that he will not step down for anyone.
Also, several other lawmakers have indicated an interest in the deputy speaker position. They include Chinedu Ogah (Ebonyi), Adewumi Onanuga (Ogun), Tolulope Akande-Sadipe (Oyo) and Francis Waive (Delta)
