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The race for the speakership of the House of Representatives has begun with some ranking lawmakers indicating interest for the job.
The presidential and National Assembly polls which produced Bola Tinubu as president-elect on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) also birthed 162 House of Representatives members.
Senators and Reps elected on the platform of APC met on Monday with the president-elect at the State House, Abuja to chart a course for the selection of leadership of the National Assembly.
At the meeting, Tinubu enjoined the elected legislators that he has no preferred candidate for the leadership of NASS.
However, a few returning lawmakers in the Green Chamber have indicated interest in the number four job. Amongst them is Yusuf Gagdi, former Speaker of Plateau House of Assembly; Ahmed Wase, incumbent Deputy Speaker of the House and five times lawmaker in the NASS; Tunji Olawuyi, current Chairman, House Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness; Aliyu Betara, Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation and Benjamin Kalu, spokesperson of the House.
Gagdi, 42, is member representing Panskhin/Kanke/Kanam constituency of Plateau State and served previously as Deputy Speaker of Plateau House of Assembly. He first contested in March 2019 and got inaugurated in June 2019.
Chairman, House Committee on Nigerian Navy and member of 13 other committees of the House of Representatives said he has become a talking point of what it means to represent people.
Another lawmaker to watch out for in the contest is the Deputy Speaker of the House, Ahmed Wase, who has not hidden his intention to vie for the number four job.
Also seeking the job is Olawuyi, popularly known as Ajuloopin, representing Ekiti, Irepodun, Isin and Oke-ero federal constituency of Kwara State. A third termer, he is not new to legislative business.
Ajuloopin believes Kwara State in the North Central should take the position because of the huge votes the state delivered to the APC in the February 25 poll.
Kwara in the last election won all the six House of Reps, the three senatorial seats, and delivered the votes for the president-elect.
Betara, incumbent Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, representing Biu/Bayo/Kwaya/Kusar/Shani Federal constituency of Borno, is another top contender for the job.
He has headed several committees, such as Public Accounts, Special Duties, Army and Defence, his legislative interest includes appropriation, customs, electoral matters and public accountanbility.
Though he is from the North East where the Vice President-elect, Shetima Kashim hails from, Betara seems undeterred, vowing to pursue his agenda without recourse to that fact. He appeared spurred by the scenario that played out in 2019, where in spite Vice President Yemi Osinbajo being from the South West, the zone also produced Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila.
Kalu, spokesperson of the House, representing Bende Federal constituency of Abia, is also interested in the top job.
Kalu no doubt performed creditably well as chief spokesperson for the ninth assembly and stands shoulder high to seek the coveted job.
A group, Coalition of South Eastern Young Leaders Association (CSYLA), while making case for the region, urged the APC to zone the Speaker of the House of Reps to the South East, having secured a majority in the 10th National Assembly.
Okechukwu Kalu, leader of the CSYLA, said of all contenders from the region, Kalu is best suited for the position, adding that it came to such conclusion after a mid-week meeting of stakeholders from the South East region.
