Femi Gbajabiamila, the anointed candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has emerged Speaker of the House of Representatives in the 9th National Assembly.
Gbajabiamila scored 281 votes to defeat his closet rival, Umar Bago from Niger State who polled 76.
Gbajabiamila, a Lawyer, was the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives in the 8th Assembly and was re -elected for the fifth term to represent Surulere 1 Federal Constituency of Lagos State from the Southwest.
He is a consummate Legislator who by the end of his second tenure in 2007 had sponsored the highest number of Bills in the National Assembly amongst all the legislators.
Gbajabiamila was Minority Leader in House of Representatives from 2011 to 2015 and was credited to be instrumental the merger of political parties into the present APC. He contested for office of the Speaker in 2015 but was defeated by the incumbent, Dogara who scored 182 votes against his 174.
Gbajabiamila again contested for the office of the Speaker and with the backing of the Ahmed Tinubu, the National Leader of the APC, was endorsed by his party. He however faced stiff opposition against the background of his being from the South-West with the Vice President Yemi Osibanjo, a Muslim, fear of Tinubu influence on the legislature and political calculations of 2023, the APC endorsement and fear of rubber stamp effect as well as corruption baggage.
The present Speaker had while vying for the exalted position of the Speaker, declared that, “I seek the office of the Speaker to bring our tendencies together and unite us as country. I seek the office of the Speaker to bring governance even closer to the people.
“I seek the office of the Speaker to mentor the next generation. I seek the office of the Speaker so I can use the bully pulpit to galvanise Honourable members to make life more abundant for every Nigerian, irrespective of tribe, religion background or political persuasion.
“There is so much work to be done by way of legislation in many areas of our life including but not limited to education, health, power, infrastructure and alleviation of poverty. I believe many of these deficits can be addressed through meaningful and impactful legislation.
“Historically, the House of Representatives was established to be the People’s House and for the people’s business. It follows therefore that the Speaker must be the people’s Speaker elected to do the people’s business and champion their cause and in doing so fulfilling their hopes and aspirations. This is the Speaker I intend and hope to be and the House I intend and hope to lead, a People’s House”.
James Kwen, Abuja
