Two prominent candidates, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas and Benjamin Kalu, who are vying for leadership positions in the House of Representatives, have recently engaged in a meeting with Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Governor of Lagos, News About Nigeria reports.
Although the exact purpose of the meeting has not been officially disclosed, there are indications that its objective may have been to garner support for their aspirations of becoming the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House.
In a recent gathering at the Defence House, the official residence of President-elect Bola Tinubu, Abbas, a lawmaker from the North-western state of Kaduna, emerged as the preferred candidate for the esteemed position of Speaker.
Kalu, hailing from the South-eastern state of Abia, was chosen as the complementary candidate for the Deputy Speaker role, ensuring a balanced ticket.
It has been reported that Tinubu, in his capacity as the President-elect, has also handpicked Godswill Akpabio from Akwa-Ibom in the South-south region and Barau Jibrin from Kano State in the North-west region to assume the positions of Senate President and Deputy Senate President, respectively.
By appointing Abbas and Kalu for the top positions in the House of Representatives, President-elect Tinubu has seemingly excluded the North-central zone from the major leadership positions.
The recent meeting between Abbas, Kalu, and Governor Sanwo-Olu hints at a strategic move to solidify their standing and garner backing from influential figures in Lagos.
While the official details regarding the purpose of the meeting remain undisclosed, it is reasonable to infer that it was organized to build support and alliances for their ambitions of securing the positions of Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
During the selection process, Abbas emerged as the favored choice for the coveted role of Speaker, representing the interests of Kaduna State in the North-western region.
The selection of Kalu, hailing from the South-eastern state of Abia, as the Deputy Speaker candidate further emphasizes the importance of a well-balanced ticket.
