10th NASS leadership: Obasanjo declares support for Akpabio, Abbas

An All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Hon. Olujonwo Obasanjo on Saturday, announced his support for the consensus candidates of the party for the leadership of the 10th National Assembly.

Obasanjo approved the choice of Senator Godswill Akpabio as the Senate President and Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, describing the duo as best and most qualified to lead the National Assembly.

Recall that the APC National Working Committee (NWC) on Monday announced the consensus zoning arrangement and nominated preferred candidates for the leadership positions of the National Assembly.

Though some aspirants in the two chambers have condemned the zoning arrangement and called for immediate review, the APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu on Thursday appealed for calm from the aggrieved lawmakers with a promise that the NWC will look into the zoning arrangement after consultation with the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed when he returned from his working tour of Europe.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja, Obasanjo, son of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, appealed to all the elected members of the 10th National Assembly to support the decision of the party and rally around the consensus candidates for the good of democracy and the incoming administration.

Admitting the principle of separation of powers among the three arms of government, he however argued that it was a fallacy that such separation is absolute.

He described the decision of the NWC as thoughtful, stressing that the consensus arrangement by the party” is also for the good of the nation if they find ways of working as harmoniously as possible” with the other arms of government.

Celebrating the choice of Akpabio as Senate President, Obasanjo said the former two-term governor of Akwa Ibom state has distinguished himself as a governor and Minister.

Recounting his exploits as a Senator during the 8th National Assembly. Obasanjo noted that when, “He (Akpabio) became a Senator and as a minority leader, he stood against Saraki’s high handedness as the Senate President to join the ruling party, the APC to also add value and political strength to it in the assembly.

Senator Akpabio obtained APC’s presidential nomination form but on the night of the primary, he was the first aspirant to step down for the now president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Senator Akpabio has earned the respect and trust of the leadership of the party and the president-elect and all other stakeholders. Therefore, his nomination as the next president of the Senate is very welcome.

On the Speakership, Obasanjo said, “Hon. Tajudeen Abass’s exceptional contribution to law-making alone is enough to secure him the office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

“This unassuming gentleman from the famous Zazzau royal family is a trailblazer in the aspect of lawmaking that he alone has sponsored 74 bills and 21 of them have been signed into law by the President.

“Hon Abass is so loved and trusted by his constituents that he has been returned to represent them for the third term in the House.

“Hon Abass’s constituency projects are well on the ground in every part of the constituency and of the 114 bills signed into law between 2019 and now, he single-handedly has 21 in a House of 360 members.”

Appealing for the support of all elected lawmakers, the APC leader prayed, “If we crave competence not only in the executive but the legislature too, Akpabio as President of the Senate and Abass as Speaker of the House of Representatives should be supported by the incoming lawmakers.”