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This is even as a rash of meetings of Reps zonal caucuses continued on Saturday to finalise strategies on the election of Speaker.
The life of the House under the superintendence of Mr. Dimeji Bankole ended on Saturday.
The contest for the exalted speakership seat has sharply divided the 360-member House, throwing up Adeola, Messrs Aminu Tambuwal and Muraino Ajibola, as aspirants.
The PDP leadership in league with its governors had endorsed Akande-Adeola as the party’s candidate after a meeting on Thursday in Abuja.
But a group of lawmakers led by Tambuwal, who is also aspiring for the most hallowed chair, has remained defiant, and vowed to contest the seat.
It was gathered that the adamant posture of the Tambuwal group, compelled the party to direct its PDP governors to individually reach out to their repsentatives to make them act in accord with the party position.
Consequently, PDP governors still in Abuja met the legislators last Friday to pressurize them to vote for the anointed candidate of the party.
One lawmaker outside the North, told Sunday Punch on Saturday that the governors called them to appeal and in some cases, intimidate, adding however, that they would still go ahead with the “Tambuwal project.”
He said, “The governors called us on Friday to read the Riot Act; but governors were not the ones that elected us. The electorate elected us.
“Our oath of allegiance is to the Constitution and not to any individual, mindful of the fact that the Constitution has no provision for either North or South, but one indivisible country called Nigeria.
“The important thing is that the Speaker of the House does not belong to the PDP alone, but also belongs to other political parties.
“Therefore, no amount of coercion, intimidation or threat will deter us from going ahead with our plan.”
Earlier, the South-West zonal plank of the PDP, led by former President Olusegun Obasanjo had adopted Muraino as its candidate, but the party in Abuja and the legislators spurned the decision.
The caucuses of South-South zone led by Mr. Andrew Uchendu and North-East zone chaired by Mr. Jerry Manwe, on Saturday, issued a statement, backing Mulikat.
Uchendu, from Rivers State told one of our correspondents on the telephone that the South-South lawmakers believed in the supremacy of the party and that whomever the PDP supported would be adopted.
He said, “After we evaluated the candidates for the contest, we found out that Mulikat’s mien, conduct, educational background and humility prepared her well as a possible leader we need to support.
“We also believe in political compromise for the sustainability of our democracy and our country. No zone should be left out in the political equation of the country and for the stability of the country.
“We have told our colleagues that we should not question the PDP platform that brought us to Abuja.”
Also, Manwe stated, “The North-East caucus stands by the party’s decision. We are loyal party members.”
It is believed that Mulikat is pairing with Mr. Yakubu Dogara from Bauchi State, who until last Friday was the Chairman, House Services Committee.
The House has about 260 new members of the 360-member legislature, and the new lawmakers hold the power loop critical to the emergence of the speaker.
A thrice-elected lawmaker said, “These new members can easily listen to their governors than the ranking members who are supporting Tambuwal.
“If we take cognizance of the fact that the old members are about 100, it will be easy to appreciate that we don’t have what it takes to tilt the balance, only the new lawmakers can.”
Both Mulikat and Tambuwal have met former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu of Action Congress of Nigeria, in a bid to secure the support of the 70-member lawmakers of the party.
The two leading contestants in the race are lawyers, and Mulikat apart from enjoying the party’s support, is also being supported by President Goodluck Jonathan and his wfe, Patience.
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