HOUSE OF REPS SPEAKER: Muhammed Bago On His To Becoming SPEAKER As 156 Members-Elect Endorse Him For Speaker.

Muhammed Bago & Femi Gbajabiamila.

It is no longer news that the tussle on who becomes Speaker of the 9^th House of Representatives has become so herculean that the huddles and intrigues are becoming quite serious, even as the most formidable force against imposition, Hon. Muhammed Umaru Bago, representing Chanchanga Federal Constituency of Niger State, is poise to emerge Speaker as over 156 members-elect are said to have declared support for him.

Bago, who is contesting against the choice of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Femi Gbajabiamila, is said to have got the endorsement of the members-elect at a meeting held at a location in Gwarimpa, Abuja, early on Saturday, where they were said to have decided to vote for him during the election, after the inauguration of the assembly in June.

A House of Reps member-elect from the South West of the country, who preferred to be anonymous, told Sunday Tribune that: “With what is on the ground now, I can confidently say that those who believed that they already have the Speaker position in their pocket should expect the shock of their life.”

The source, who was at the meeting, explained that Bago had been anonymous because “this is a contest involving only 360 members of the lower chamber of the National Assembly, so our focus is on those who would vote.”

He added that, “Secondly, for security reasons, we are keeping those who are with us under wraps. You know voting will be by secret ballot, Nigerians will only get to know those supporting Bago after he has emerged as Speaker.”

Reacting to the endorsement, Director of Media and Publicity of Bago’s Campaign, Afam Ogene, had these to say: “Yes we have been meeting and we will continue to meet because ours is ideal to ensure equity and fairness amongst the six geopolitical zones of the country and we believe that Bago is more than qualified to be Speaker, coming from the North Central that has never occupied the position also, we are sure he will be elected.”

As this are right now, the contest for the next Speaker of the House of Representatives is believed to be a two-horse race between the incumbent Leader of the House, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila (APC Lagos) and Muhammed Umaru Bago.