As the June 13 inauguration date of the 10th National Assembly closes in, there is a cloud of uncertainty on the fate of those aspiring to become presiding officers, especially so as President Bola Tinubu is yet to make a formal pronouncement on it.
Wednesday night, the president met with lawmakers-elect at Aso Rock Villa and some of the gladiators were absent at the meeting.
According to source, the absent major contenders include former governors of Zamfara and Abia states, Abdulaziz Yari and Orji Kalu, and others.
Another disquieting development at the meeting was some northern leaders who insisted that the north produced both Senate President and speaker of the House of Representatives.
It also remained unclear whether the president will continue to support Senator Godswill Akpabio and Mr Tajudeen Abass for the Senate presidency and speakership. Vanguard reported a source as saying: “I am just leaving the meeting and the president didn’t say he has preferred candidates.”
On the North’s position on the 10th NASS leadership, he said: “This is a northern agenda, they don’t want Tinubu to control the Senate but as for the G-6, they are still intact, although Betara has withdrawn from the race his supporters have shifted base to Idris Wase.
“The president’s claim of religious balancing is what is most vexatious. How can he say so because his chief of staff is not just from Lagos, the same state? Is Gbajabiamila, not a Muslim? We shall meet on the floor on Tuesday.”
The party’s endorsed choice has continuously drawn criticisms and condemnation from other contestants for the principal positions of the National Assembly.
