The speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, has obtained nomination forms to contest as governor of Sokoto State.

The speaker will contest on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The Speaker picked his nomination form in his home state, Sokoto, on Friday, three days after he dropped his ambition to run for the office of the president.

Mr. Tambuwal’s spokesperson, Imam Imam, confirmed on Twitter on Friday that the speaker has obtained the forms.

“I am here to honour the call of Sokoto people to return home and serve,” Mr. Imam tweeted the Speaker saying. “I am here to continue the work of our leader, Governor Aliyu Wammakko.”

Mr. Tambuwal is believed to be favoured by the state’s governor to succeed him.

“Governor Wammakko’s support and encouragement has made us succeed in our assignment at the National Assembly in Abuja,” the Speaker said during a visit to the Sokoto governor shortly after he picked the form.

Mr. Tambuwal is fighting to retain his position as the Speaker of the House of Representatives after defecting from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the opposition All Progressive’s Congress, APC. He was received by a large crowd in the ancient city of Sokoto.