Speakership: Gbajabiamila’s camp woos Dogara, Governors, other contestants

The Director-General of the Femi Gbajabiamila Speakership campaign Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin has said the camp is lobbying incumbent Speaker Yakubu Dogara, some Governors and even other contestants vying for the Speakership position to ensure success in the June 10 Speakership contest.

Jibrin, who came to brief journalists on the journey so far with other members of the campaign team, said the Gbajabiamila Camp is not taking any chances even though they already have the numbers.

He said: “A lot of my senior colleagues and those that we came in together, junior colleagues and also new members elect are standing here before you and we wish to categorically state that Femi, of course, he’s the candidate for Speakership and that he’s running on the same ticket as Hon. Wase.

“By the grace of God, we will elect Fem as Speaker and Hon.  Wase as Deputy Speaker.

“Secondly and equally very important, we also wish to inform you, and it is our pleasure to do so, that at this moment, we have the numbers to win the election on the 10th of June.

“In the last six weeks since we started our activities we have applied different types of models to check our numbers, to weigh our numbers and all the instances where we applied different options that are scientifically verifiable, we have arrived at a very comfortable number that will win us the election.

“The last approach that we adopted is for members to confirm in writing who they are going to vote.

“And interestingly, we also have large number of members from the PDP, and other opposition parties who have also indicated written interest that they’re going to be with us.

“He said their approach included diplomatic shuttling, talking with the opposition party members and assuring everyone that Femi Gbajabiamiila and Idris Wase are going to run an all- inclusive House.

“We also involved the stockholders, the leaders of the opposition parties, the leaders, their elected officials,  their governors and the rest, all in the process of this lobbying, which is also an integral part of the parliamentary system.

“We’ve also opened consultations with past Speakers of the House, all the past presiding officers of the House,  members of the body of principal officers of the House, we’re all talking to them to help in whatever way they can.

“Also very significant is the facts that we’re also in consultation, and let me say it very clearly, we’re also lobbying the incumbent Speaker, Dogara, and we appreciate the value he can bring on board.

“We’re also being realistic and practical in the approach of our campaign. He’s a sitting Speaker, he has a support base, he controls a particular bloc in the House, we all recognise that,” he added.

“We’re reaching out to him, we’re lobbying him, we’re also talking to him, and we’ve opened up negotiation with him.

“And we’re pretty sure because of all the constructive agenda we’ve put on ground and for the live he has for this parliament, we will be able to reach an understanding with him,” Jibrin said.

He said Hon. Yakubu Buba has pulled out and is supporting the Gbajabiamila Camp. “We’re pretty sure and very confident that on the 10th when the election will take place, there will not be any member of APC contesting with another member of APC,” the lawmaker said.