By Sadiq Umar, Abuja.
The All Progressives Congress members-elect on Saturday voted Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, as the party’s candidate for the Speakership seat prior to the inauguration of the House of Representatives next Tuesday.
The election took place at a crucial meeting organised by the National Working Committee of the party at the International Conference Centre, Abuja where Gbajabiamila polled 158 votes as against 3 votes recorded by its main rival Yakubu Dogara.
National Chairman of APC, Mr. John Oyegun said it was necessary for the party to forge a common front among its members in the parliament.
However, Dogara and his group had staged a walk-out at the venue of the meeting, arguing that the election of Speaker could only hold at the floor of the House and not anywhere else.
The House of Representatives, speakership race is between Femi Gbajabiamila from Lagos states, South-west, Nigeria and Yakubu Dogara from North East.
As the time of this report, meeting between the party leadership and the Senators-elect is in progress. The meeting is expected to also elect the party’s candidate for the Senate President Candidate.
There have been tension among APC legislators in the past two weeks regarding the leadership of the National Assembly. The Senate presidency is a two horse race between Senator Bukola Saraki, From Kwara state and Ahmed Lawal, Borno state.
