Hon Yusuf Gagdi, the member representing Pankshin/Kanam/Kanke Federal Constituency of Plateau State in the House of Representatives and speakership aspirant for the 10th Assembly says, it is the time for the youths.
The chairman, House committee on Navy said this while briefing journalists after interaction with Alex Otti, the Abia state governor-elect and House of Representatives members-elect on the platform of Labour Party (LP) as well other stakeholders in Enugu state.
He said that the youths from 25 to 45 that have contributed immensely to the democratisation process are also qualified to take charge of one of the institutions of government.
“Because we have a President that is above 60, a Vice President that is above 60, a Senate President possibly that will be above 60, so you want Speaker again that will be above 60. When the right time comes I will advance all of those debates,” he said.
The Speakership contender said that he has begun his consultations with relevant stakeholders.
“Yesterday I commenced my public engagements which I have visited Lagos to meet with Governor-elect Abia state and members of Labour Party. Abia has seven members from the Labour Party in the House of Representatives. From there I flew to Enugu to engage and have interaction with state party chairman of Labour Party as well as the governorship candidate of Labour Party in Enugu state.”
“Those are important for me because someone will wonder why this aspirant for speakership going to visit a governorship candidate that was just declared a governor. Engaging a governor who has majority in the House of Representatives is important.
“Yesterday was the first public engagement I had but silently I have visited 24 governors across the country. I am looking at the 25th of this month to 30th to flag off my campaign.
“I intend to stop initiation of proliferation of projects. Project will commence with tax payers money and it won’t be completed, another similar project will be initiated due to political intention. That is what is wasting taxpayers money.
“I have intentions to correct these, in the area of justice I feel I’m from the north-central and the region deserves to be speaker if you are zoning it to northern Nigeria.
”It’s only north central that has not produced speaker in the past years,” Gagdi explained.
The lawmaker also promised to be a speaker for all Nigerians irrespective of religious, ethnic and political differences; promote good legislation, justice and progress of the country.
“I want to be speaker for the Nigerian people. I don’t want to be regional speaker. God willing I will be speaker for the Nigerian people irrespective of tribe, religion. I will be speaker that my primary responsibility is to add value to the people of this county,” he said.
He promised to correct some anomalies in the country’s budget.
Hon Gagdi said that he intends to stop re-initiation of projects not completed in a budget cycle in another appropriation document due to political intention, thereby wasting taxpayers’ money.
He noted that for fairness and equity, the position of the speaker in the 10th Assembly be zoned to the north-central even as he promised to adhere to the decision of his party, the All Progressive Congress (APC).
The former deputy speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly who announced that he will be flagging off his campaign between April 25 and 30, said he has visited 24 governors across the country about his ambition.
The aspirant said he was imminently qualified to be speaker going by his legislative prowess, having sponsored 12 bills in the last three years with six them given presidential assent. He insisted that youths should also be given a chance to head the House.
“On motivation, a lot of things motivated me, this is my second time in House of Representatives, even in first time I was able to sponsor 12 bills among them Mr President assented to six. Check and see if you can find any member that has funded 12 bills out of which 6 have been assented to.
“I think I have broken a record in the National Assembly. I’m proud to say that if we have a Guinness book of records in the National Assembly I will enter that book. I have moved 18 sensitive motions on the floor of the House.
“I chair Navy committee and I have visited all commands and formations of navy to discharge my oversight functions. So legislative trinity I have done it in the best of my ability so it’s one of my motivations.
He added that his public declaration will come up very soon .
N.O
