Femi Gbajabiamila has been announced as the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate for the position of the 9th Assembly’s Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The choice of Gbajabiamila was announced by the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu.
He said the decision was taken at a dinner held in honour of APC’s House of Representatives members-elect Tuesday night at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He disclosed too that the position of the Deputy Speaker had been zoned to the North Central.
It would be recalled that Gbajabiamila on March 31, 2019 formally declared his intention to contest for the post of the Speaker.
He is representing Surulere I Federal Constituency of Lagos State in the House of Representatives.
He is the current Majority Leader in the House of Representatives and is of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
He contested for the same position in 2015 but was beaten to it by Yakubu Dogara.
Gbajabiamila declared that his decision was informed by the need to bring governance closer to the people and unite the country.
He said since the legislators were expected to be the true representatives of the people, he would ensure that that objective was achieved.
His words: “I seek the office of the Speaker to bring our tendencies together and unite us as a country. I seek the office of the Speaker to bring governance even closer to the people. I seek the office of the Speaker to mentor the next generation. I seek the office of the Speaker so I can use the pulpit to galvanise Honourable members to make life more abundant for every Nigerian irrespective of tribe, religious background or political persuasion.
“There is so much work to be done by way of legislation in many areas of our life including but not limited to education, health, power, infrastructure and alleviation of poverty. I believe many of these deficits can be addressed through meaningful and impactful legislation.
“Historically the House of Representatives was established to be the people’s House and for the people‘s business. It follows therefore that the Speaker must be the people’s Speaker elected to do the people‘s business and champion their cause and in doing so fulfilling their hopes and aspiration. This is the Speaker I intend and hope to be and the House I intend and hope to lead a People‘s House.”
He added: “With all sense of humility, I seek this office with a rich legislative background and pedigree and having just won a historic 5th term mandate to the house, I have in the last 16 years dedicated my life to the service of my constituents and Nigeria.
“I have studied and understood the intricate workings of the legislature, a critical arm of government and I have come to understand the imperative of striking a delicate balance in the relationship between the executive and legislative arms of government without compromising the latter‘s independence.”
