The aspiration of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Idris Wase, for the speakership of the green chamber received a boost on Friday following an endorsement by the Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, and his Ogun counterpart, Dapo Abiodun.
The governors, who were elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), endorsed Wase’s bid when the Deputy Speaker led a team of 14 federal lawmakers, including lawmakers-elect to their residences in Abuja on Friday.
Zulum, while receiving Wase, said although he was not in doubt about the ability and capacity of the lawmaker, the first struggle has to be how the position of Speaker will be zoned to the North Central.
The governor said:”We are mot in dount about your capabilities, capacity and competence; no one can even take away your experience, loyalty and commitment to our party.
“But let’s get the first hurdle, which is zoning the position to the north central and then we know what to do.
“Let’s pray hard so that we can fix that aspect of the race because I know the conversation is already on among us; I mean the governors. We will meet again on Wednesday to continue the conversation and Allah will answer prayers,” Zulum stated.
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On his part, Governor Abiodun said he was abreast with Wase’s “high level of loyalty”, noting that the Deputy Speaker had played key roles alongside the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, to bring about political stability.
“Your high level of loyalty and quality service to Nigeria in your capacity as Deputy Dpeaker to Femi Gbajabiamila has been key in stabilising the polity.
“You have demonstrated over the years that you are true party man, a very consistent personality and a true democrat and progressive having grown from the defunct AC, ACN till today; you never disappointed the progresaive family in any manner.
“Therefore, without prejudice to zoning, you stand out as a personality who deserves to be speaker to continue to contribute your quota to national development,” Abiodun said.
Meanwhile, the former governor of Kebbi State, now Senator-elect, Adamu Aliero, and Osun State governor, Ademola Adeleke, assured Wase of their support after a brief close-door meeting at the former Kebbi governor’s residence in Abuja on Friday night.
Aliero who addressed a handful of Wase’s colleagues after the meeting said: “There is no reason for any of you to be worried; we just finished the larger meeting.
“Myself, a close friend and neighbour as well as the governor of Osun State just met with the Deputy Speaker and gave our assurances to support him for the position of Speaker,” he said.
