OPINION: Is Rep Gagdi eyeing Speakership of the 10th House? 

Ahead of politicking for Speakership in the 10th House of Representatives, Plateau lawmaker is speculated to be nursing interest in the top job  

 

 

READ ALSO: Reps Bagos, Mwadkwon, Gagdi, Deputy Speaker atop Plateau National Assembly Scorecard

 

With winners declared for about 325 out of 360 House of Representatives seats already declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), attention is beginning to shift towards the race for the leadership of the 10th National Assembly.

Although the majority All Progressives Congress (APC) is yet to zone positions of Presiding and Principal Officers, the race for Speakership of the 10th House of Representatives is beginning to take shape as lawmakers are gradually showing interest through their body language. 

Chairman of the House Committee on Navy, Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, is among lawmakers speculated to be prepping for the race.

Rep. Gagdi, a former Deputy Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, won the election into the 9th National Assembly in 2019. He was also lucky to be reelected in the February 25 National Assembly elections despite the tsunami that hit the APC and the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

 

 

READ ALSO: North Central Senators sponsored 21% of total Senate bills | National Assembly Scorecard

Representing Pankshin/Kanam/Kanke Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, the lawmaker has sponsored 21 bills since 2019. Some of the previous offices held by Gagdi include being Legislative Aide to the Deputy Speaker of Plateau State House of Assembly; Member of Plateau State Library Board (2012- 2014) and Chairman of the Federal Board, Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority (LBRBDA) Makurdi between 2012 and 2014.

The astute parliamentarian also served as Chairman of the Special Committee on Peace, Security and Reconciliation in Plateau State (2015); Chairman Special Committee on Peace, Security and Reconciliation Plateau State in 2018; as well as Financial Secretary of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau State (2012 – 2014).

Although the atmosphere still appears hazy, pending the final decision of the APC on power-sharing among the geo-political zones, it is expected that a good number of lawmakers aspiring for the leadership of the House will begin consultations ahead of the epic battle in June.

And so, while the race for the next leadership is about to gather steam, it would be interesting to see how the governing party handles the ‘ghost of 2011/2015’ that saw a coup within its rank still roaming. This is in light of the fact that the APC does not command an overwhelming majority in the 10th House of Representatives based on the results announced so far.

A bigger question, however, is: Is the APC likely to succeed in producing the leadership of the Green Chamber if the opposition parties leverage their numerical strength to outwit the governing party?