House To Elect Principal Officers Tuesday

ABUJA, July 11, (THEWILL) - More than one month after the inauguration of the 7th session of the National Assembly, the House of Representatives is set to choose its remaining principal officers when it reconvenes on Tuesday. The House had on June 6, defied the zoning arrangement of the ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to elect Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal from Sokoto and Hon. Emeka Ihedioha (Imo) as Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively.

Whereas, the upper chamber of the National Assembly last week concluded the composition of its leadership when it announced the selection of Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi) as its Deputy Senate Leader, the House has been enmeshed in series of scheming and disagreements.

While the PDP is insisting on Hon. Mulikat Adeola who lost her bid to be Speaker to Tambuwal, to emerge as House Leader, the leadership of the House is said to be supporting the South South to produce the Leader. The leadership is more favourably disposed to allocating the position of Chief Whip to the South West and is looking the way of Hon. Muraino Ajibola (Oyo), who withdrew from the race of Speaker to support Tambuwal.

Those from the South South angling for the position include Hon. Ndudi Elumelu (Delta), Leo Ogor (Delta) and Andrew Uchendu (Rivers).

THEWILL however reliably gathered that the position of Deputy Leader may go to the North East with Hon. Ishaku Bawa (PDP. Taraba) likely to emerge although Hon. Yakubu Dogara (PDP Bauchi) is said to be giving him a fierce fight for the position.

The position of Deputy Chief Whip may go to the North Central with Hon. Emmanuel Jime (PDP, Benue), who sponsored the motion for the nomination of Tambuwal as Speaker in the fore front for the office.

Meanwhile, the opposition parties have already selected some of their leaders. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila (ACN, Lagos) is the Minority Leader, Samson Osagie (ACN, Edo) is Deputy Minority Leader, while Abdulrahman Kawu (ANPP Kano) is the Minority Whip. Other positions are to be filled on Tuesday.