10th NASS: 63 opposition members-elect endorse Abbas, Kalu for Speaker, deputy

The candidacy of Hon Tajudeen Abbas and Benjamin Kalu for the position of Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the 10^th National Assembly has received a boost, as 63 members-elect from opposition parties have endorsed them.

It will be recalled that both Abbas and Kalu are the anointed candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress {APC}for Speaker and Deputy Speaker, respectively.

The spokesman for the Coalition of United Political Parties, Ikenga Ugochinyere, who led 62 other members-elect in minority political parties, announced the endorsement in Abuja on Wednesday.

A member-elect representing Ideato North/South Federal Constituency, Ugochinyere called on other speakership aspirants banking on votes of the opposition members-elect to contest against the Abbas/Kalu ticket, to withdraw from the race as votes would no longer be available for them.

He said: “It is on this note that I call on my colleague members-elect who are still in the race to stop and join the prefect of the class, Hon Tajudeen Abbas, to steer the ship of the 10th Assembly to beat the records of the other Houses in performance and achievement for Nigeria.

“Our common goal now should be beyond party and partisan politics and totally focused on Nigeria and her greater good. We want the best and we have selected the best and importantly, the selection is by merit.

“I do not speak for myself alone. I speak for the 63 like-minded honourable members-elect of the opposition family, who have agreed on a common vision for the 10th Assembly. We will transform into the TBK Group. Our 63 votes without any dissent or abstention will go for Hon. Tajudeen Abbas. In the coming days, Nigerians will come to know the identity of the TBK Group and will also feel our impact.”

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Speaking further, Uguchinyere said Abbas possesses all the needed qualities to be the next Speaker of the House.

“He is enviably educated, has a Doctorate Degree and eminently and vastly experienced to preside over the affairs of the House. He is highly resourceful and is manifestly of unblemished integrity which has earned him respect amongst our colleagues at the National Assembly and obviously his party,” he said, adding that  with 43 bills in the 8th Assembly, Abbas had the 3rd highest number of bills, while in the 9th House, the speakership candidate has 74 bills.

He noted that Abbas has the highest number of bills and that 21 of those bills have been signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari.