The adopted All Progressives Congress, APC candidate for the Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives, Hon Tajudeen Abass, North West on Tuesday night finally broken his silence over his adoption by the Party saying he felt very elated and satisfied.
While fielding questions with newsmen in Abuja shortly after the meeting of the Joint Task Group, a forum of members-elect of the 10th Assembly, comprising 18 registered political parties, he promised to reach out to other co-contestants for total reconciliation in the oven interest of the nation
According to him: “I feel elated, I feel inspired, because I believe that if the party is going use competence as its yardstick, I’m the right person to actually be picked. So for the fact that they did what I expected they would do, I feel very elated and satisfied.
Asked if he was reaching out to some aspirants who were not happy with what has happened in his being picked or selected by the party as a consensus candidate, the lawmaker said, “we are reaching out to them. We are in the process, we have reached out to so many, and we will continue reaching out to all of them.
“Before the end of next week,I assure you we will reach out to all the all the aspirants, we will implore them and ask them to come on board so that we can work for the good of the institution and Nigeria I’m general.
On what his plans for the 10th Assembly, if eventually elected Speaker of the House, he said, “please I will ask you to wait a little. By next week, we are going to do our official declaration, so we’ll come out with our 16 points agenda. In that agenda, you will see all the areas we are going to work on in the 10th Assembly.
I welcome you, I invite you to the declaration which will take place next week, then you will know what we have for the members, what we have for this country.
Also speaking in the same vein , his Deputy designate adopted by the party, Hon Benjamin Kalu, said that he felt elated and satisfied by the decision of the party.
When asked how he feels being endorsed by his party as the deputy speakership candidate of the 10th Assembly, he said:
“I feel good. I feel highly elated that my party considered me to go for this position, so I feel good about it.
On his plans to expand the party’s presence in the South East which is known to an opposition stronghold, he said: “the party has started the strategy for the 2027 elections by making sure that they have a foot in the South Eastern region.
“What they have done with this nomination is in the spirit of inclusion. The South East is going to feel the power of cohesion, and national loyalty is going to be driven by virtue of this that has taken place.
“So it’s a wise decision to include the South Easterners in the structure of the Government that’s being formed. As you know, it is the responsibility of a ruling party to set up the architecture of government in order to achieve the set national objectives. And I’m sure by making sure that everybody embraces that national objective will help them achieve it faster. And this architecture that’s being displayed now is an all inclusive architecture.
And my people in the South East are delighted that they have been considered. And that will change the dynamics come 2027. Because an energetic young man who believes in the party, the supremacy of the party and loyalty to the party has been called up to stand on the platform to energize the zone for progress, unity and prosperity of the nation. And that I pledge we will do.
Speaking earlier the Chairman of the Forum Hon Usman Bello Kumo had said that the main aim of the Forum was the stability of the 10th Assembly and the nation in general.
According to to him, “the day before yesterday, the Joint Task – 10th Assembly was a neutral body of members-elect. And we took steps that will make sure that it is undiluted, unpolluted in verbatim. We put together a structure that is all inclusive, a structure that is drawn from all the 18 political parties that won seats in the House of Representatives in the 10th Assembly.
“Until today, we were not aligned with any aspirant. But we were unable to meet members-elect in general. We have been meeting members-elect either at the point of friendship, at the point of zones, at the point of States. But we felt that today’s meeting, we should bring all membes-elect to the general meeting to highlight the basis for this organization or group, or whatever tendencies (nomenclature) you are free to give us.
“To partner with you and let you know that what we are doing is just simple, to partner with you and ensure that we have a stable 10th Assembly like other previous leaders and Assemblies enjoyed.
“Politics, yes it’s free but we will try as much as possible to ensure a rancour-free friendly and family 10th Assembly. But today, we have in our midst, Mr Speaker, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila who’s sitting here as of right: one, as a member-elect, two as a serving Speaker, three as a life ex-officio member of the House of Representatives for life.
“It is on this note that I’m closing my opening remarks, appreciating each and everyone of you who gave me the privilege, because I’m only standing here by destiny because I won election. I am not your chairman, I’m only providing leadership to ensure the success of the process.
