From all indications, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, may field a speakership candidate on June 6 when an election would be held to pick a new speaker for the House of Representatives. Also, yesterday, Minority Leader of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, APC, Surulere Federal Constituency, and Abdulmunin Jibrin, APC, Kano formally wrote their colleagues on why they want to run the affairs of the 8th Assembly.

Vanguard findings yesterday revealed that the PDP caucus has been holding meetings at different locations in the Abuja metropolis strategising as to how the party can present a speakership candidate to checkmate APC.

It was reliably gathered that the caucus heavily relying on Section 50(b) of the 1999 constitution, as amended, where it is expressly stated that the lawmakers shall pick their leaders among themselves. One of the arrowheads in the group told Vanguard under the condition of anonymity that “what section 50 is talking about is about us electing our leaders not a party hand picking any candidate for us”. “Do not also forget that section 4 of our House rule states that” “a member-elect , addressing the clerk shall propose another member-elect with legislative experience as member of National Assembly to the House to be Speaker and shall move that such member-elect do take the chair as speaker of the House of Representatives”.

“You can clearly see that both the constitution and the House never mentioned that a party or a group of people should pick a speaker rather the members of the Green Chamber on our own should elect our leaders”.

Read More: vanguardngr