Hon Bago says he’s in the race “for the long haul”, as Northern group kicks against APC’s decision on Gbajabiamila

Hon. Umar Mohammed Bago has ruled out stepping down in the race for speaker of the House of Representatives, saying he’s more encouraged than ever about his chances in the speakership race.

” Honestly it will be naked injustice if I as a representative worthy of being so called keeps quiet in the face of manifest denial of the North Central and particularly Niger state for the Speakership of the 9th assembly House of Representatives.

” My aspiration is not personal. ” I cited the constitutional prescription that calls for geopolitical balancing, no answer, I cited the fact that Niger State had never produced a Speaker since 1999, No response!! I cited that the fact that North Central came third at the Presidential elections over South West  geopolitical zone, still no answer; now I tell you that the  entire margin of victory of APC in the South West geopolitical zone made up of six states is 259,780 votes, while Niger state alone and ONLY gave our party a margin of victory of 394,314 votes, leading the entire  south west geopolitical zone with 134,539 votes.

” How can I then keep quiet? What is fair must be just, equity is the foundation for stability.”

Meanwhile, a northern group, the Arewa Youth Awareness Forum (AYAF) has kicked against the decision of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to adopt Femi Gbajabiamila as the next speaker of the House of Representatives.

A statement by the group, signed by its chairman, vice chairman and Secretary-General – Mohammed Sani-Kabir, Salisu Abdurrahaman and Ben Alege, respectively, said the endorsement was against the collective interest of the north ahead of 2023 presidency. The group said it is backing members-elect that were opposed to the party’s candidate, saying the choice made by the APC was not the best option for the north.

AYAF said it is alarmed by the “dictatorial and insensitive manners” in which the party foisted the leadership

The group warned the party’s leadership against disregarding the Nigeria’s Constitution by forcing particular members on the National Assembly, calling on the party to allow members to choose their leaders rather than “Tinubu and Oshiomohle forcing Ahmad Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila on the National Assembly.”

AYAF urged the party leadership to allow members-elect to freely choose their principal leaders for the 9th National Assembly and urged members-elect to be guided by its extant rules in picking their leaders.