An aspirant for the position of the Speaker of the 10th Assembly, Yusuf Gagdi says the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is not aware of the ongoing speakership tussle in the House and has not endorsed anyone.
Gagdi described the President-elect as a good Democrat that believes in fair play and would not support any region being excluded.
He made this known during a media chat with Journalists in Abuja, saying that all the aspirants for the position of the Speaker who formed the G7 coalition are not against anybody but stand for justice and equity.
Gagdi said that all along, it was the party that has been talking about the zoning and consensus candidate and not the president-elect.
He said; “I know the principle of our president-elect. He does not know about the tussle. That is why we keep on attacking the party because it is the party that issued the statement.
“Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has promised that he will reward loyalty and commitment. He will reward what you bring to the table. He won only one Local Government in Kaduna State, Birnin Gwari. In a state where you won only one local government, you are giving speakership to that state?
“I think it negates the principles of the President-elect. What the party did has contradicted the promise and commitment and way of politics of Tinubu. We are not against anybody. We are not even against the President-elect, because as far as we are concerned, we have not heard anything from him. We have not heard anything from him about whether he has zoned or endorsed a particular candidate. But we have heard from the party about the consensus candidate and that it has been zoned to them. And that is why we have issues with the party and not the president-elect.”
On the promise by the Vice President-elect, Kaseem Shetima to call all the G7 members to reach a compromise, Gagdi said that he was yet to be reached.
He also said even the “anointed” speakership candidate, Tajudeen Abbas was also jet to reach out to him.
Gagdi said; ” I have met the VP-elect. He is my father. I met him as a political leader of the north to equally tell him my intention to contest for speaker because hither to this moment I’ve not officially declared that to him and I told him and he prayed and wished me well. So, if there’s any engagement regarding who becomes speaker, whether reaching out to us to support Tajudeen Abbas, I’ve not discussed that with the VP yet.”
On the amended House rules that promote open ballot voting, Gagdi said that he was not scared about it.
He however said that he was not the spokesperson of the G7 but that all the group asked for is Equity and Justice.
Gagdi added that members of the G7 group are like-minded aspirants who believe that what the APC came out with is against the principle of the party, against the motto of the party.”
Mercy Chukwudiebere
