10th NASS: We ‘ll contest for Reps’ Speakership -Opposition parties

Against the run of play, the opposition parties in the House of Representatives have said they will contest for the speaker and the deputy speaker of the incoming 10th National Assembly.

At the moment, the parties subsumed in the minority caucuses with a coinage “Greater majority”, has 180 members-elect put together out of the 360 peopled parliament.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has 179 members-elect elect while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is yet to conclude elections in Ikono/Ini federal constituency of Akwa Ibom State.

The political parties that made up the minority caucus outside the main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Labour Party (LP); New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP); Africa Democratic Congress (ADC); Young People’s Party (YPP); All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Rising from a meeting in Abuja Tuesday night, the party said they have the number to win the offices of the presiding officers.

A communiqué from the meeting signed by the secretary of the group, Hon. Efosa Imasuen added that an 11 man committee had been set up to hunt for credible candidates for the position.

“The members resolved as follows: To Contest the office of Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the 10th House of Representative of the National Assembly

“That we have resolve to set up an eleven-man Committee to scout for a credible and acceptable candidate that would vie for those offices, and then actively seek the unification of Nigerians along ethno-religious lines

“The Greater Majority with more than 180 elected members (being over 50% of the elected member) will remain one indivisible coalition during the 10^th National Assembly, with the interest of the country as its driving force

“That the greater Majority of the 10th National Assembly will be continually guided by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, with the collective interest of Nigerians being its major concern.

“To assure Nigerians not to lose hope due to the country’s current unpleasant situation, including the disunity plaguing the nation, which is the direct consequence of APC’s misrule and that the Greater majority of the incoming 10th National assembly will remedy these problems as a matter of priority.

“The Great majority will continue to unify the coalition of opposition parties so that it can be an effective check on the ruling party in order to safeguard the rule of law”.