APC adopts Gbajabiamlia for Speaker, zones deputy to North-central

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has adopted Femi Gbajabiamila as its candidate for the position of the Speaker of the House of Representatives in the 9th Assembly.

Mr Gbajabiamlia, who made his intention known some weeks ago, is currently the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives.

“This position was reached after an intensive deliberation with the APC’s House of Representatives members-elect at a dinner with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Banquet Hall of Aso Villa.

“The Deputy Speaker position has been zoned to the North Central,” the party said in a statement Tuesday evening by its spokesperson, Lanre Issa-Onilu.

The APC last month adopted Ahmed Lawan as its favoured candidate for Senate President.

Elections into key positions of the National Assembly will hold in June.

The APC has a clear majority in the next House with over 220 of the 360 members.

However, some members of the party have kicked against adopting candidates for positions rather than zoning the seats to particular sections of the country.

Some leaders of the APC from the North-central had also insisted that the speakership position be zoned to the area.

In the Senate, at least two other APC senators from the North-east have vowed to challenge Mr Lawan.