Speaker: Will another lawyer emerge?

In 2011, when Aminu Waziri Tambuwal came out to contest for the speaker’s seat, a number of members also indicated interest in occupying the position, but it ended in a battle between two lawyers: Tambuwal and current House Leader, Mulikat Akande-Adeola.
Tambuwal won the battle, overwhelmingly defeating Mulikat, who had the backing of his then Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) to become the speaker.
Four years after, the battle for the position seems to be, once again, among lawyers. The eight contenders are House Minority Leader Femi Gbajabiamila, Reps Mohammed Tahir Monguno, Yakubu Dogara, Abdulmumin Jibrin, Israel Ajibola Fmurewa, Pally Iriase, Jagaba Adams Jagaba and Peter Akpatason.
But Gbajabiamila, Monguno and Dogara, all of whom are lawyers, are seen as the major contenders.
Gbajabiamila was born on June 25, 1962 and has been at the Green Chamber since 2003 when he was first elected to represent Surulere 1 Federal Constituency of Lagos State. He spent the last eight years as minority leader. He has two law degrees from both Nigeria and the United States of America.
He began his career in 1984 after his graduation from the Nigeria Law School when he joined Bentley, Edu and Co legal firm. He later set up his own law firm known as Femi Gbaja and Co. He earned his Juris Doctorate in 2001 and remained in the US.
At the lower chamber he has been outspoken on wide range of issues, including constitutional and legal matters.
Gbajabiamila was among the first lawmakers to move a motion for the invocation of Doctrine of Necessity back in 2010 when late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua was ill, making the National Assembly to pass a resolution mandating President Goodluck Jonathan to be acting president then.
His main preoccupation in the last 12 years in the House has been on employee rights, local content in construction, industry, vocational schools, economic stimulus, interest-free students loans and constitutional reform.
Monguno, was born on February 12, 1967 and studied law at the University of Maiduguri where he graduated in 1989 with LLB (Hons). He then proceeded to the Nigeria Law School and was called to the Bar in 1990.
He was first elected into the House in 1992 during the Third Republic. During this current dispensation, he was elected to the lower chamber in 2007 to represent Marte/Monguno/Nagazai Federal Constituency and has been there since then.
He was the attorney-general and commissioner for justice in Borno State between 2003 and 2005; commissioner for education from 2005 to 2006 and commissioner for water resources, from 2006 to 2007.
His legislative interests include development of urban poor and rural dwellers, while his target achievements are implementation of budget to the letter and provision of constituency projects.
Analysts believe that given his experience, he has many things working in his favour. He chairs the House committee on agriculture and belongs to other committees such as appropriations, privatisation and commercialisation, public petitions and rules and business.
He recently said his vision and programme, if elected speaker, will be respect for all members, based on the principle of equality and dignity; harmonious executive/legislative relationship; pragmatic, dynamic, strong, virile and vibrant legislature committed to the rule of law and constitutionalism, among others.
Dogara, currently, has been representing Bogoro/Dass/Tafawa-Balewa Federal Constituency of Bauchi State since 2003. Born on December 26, 1967 Dogara obtained LLB from the University of Jos.
He was in private legal practice from 1994 to 2005 and became special assistant to minister of state for transport, between 2005 and 2006.
He chairs the House services and welfare committee and serves as a member of other committees, which include judiciary, land transport, labour, employment and productivity, information and national orientation, steel development, FCT and legislative budget and research.
There is the feeling that the North-east is marginalised since 1999 and, therefore, the region should be compensated with the position of speaker now. Should the All Progressives Congress (APC) zone the seat to the region, Dogara will slug it out with Monguno.
However, observers argue that the other contenders, not lawyers, could spring surprises. In this regard, Jibrin, a business man and lecturer before coming into the House in 2011 and Famurewa, a metallurgical engineer, come tall in their credentials.
Jibrin has been chairing the finance committee since 2011 and is seen as a pragmatic and dynamic person. He said, recently, while declaring his intention to vie for the speaker’s seat: “We shall take parliamentary activities to the people. Part of the idea is to initiate e-parliament, where Nigerians will easily follow legislative activities.”
The Kano lawmaker, a Ph.D holder, added: “I am well-equipped for this position. I have the requisite qualification, aptitude and experience to hold the post of speaker of the House of Representatives.”
Famurewa, is banking on the fact that the APC may zone the seat to his South-west region. Analysts argue that should that be done, Famurewa will be favourable because out of the five states in the zone, it is only Osun, where he comes from, that is yet to produce either a presiding or principal officer in the House. But he has Gbajabiamila to contend with.
The 50-year-old lawmaker, who represents Atakumosa East/West and Ilesa East/West Federal Constituency, also boasts of tremendous experience as the founding MD/CEO of Isbol Energy Services Limited and a one time head of operations of Kontinental Ventures, Lagos. He believes that his records speak for him.
Iriase, the Edo State born lawmaker, represents Owan East/West Constituency. He holds BSc in accounting from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1982 and M.Sc in accounting, from University of Lagos, in 1988.
Before coming into the House in 2011, he was deputy speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly from 1999 to 2003. He was also chairman of Owan East local government and secretary to the Edo State Government, from 2008 to 2011.
He was head of internal audit department of the then Bendel State University and a part-time lecturer in accounting.
Jagaba, chairman of the committee on drugs, narcotics and financial crimes, holds Masters Degree in International Relations and Diplomacy from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He was vice-chairman of Kagarko local government of Kaduna State from 1996 to 1997 and caretaker chairman of the area.
He first came to the House in 1999 and lost his re-election bid in 2003. He returned in 2007 and has been there since then. He said, recently, that he was venturing into the race having garnered the “requisite” legislative experience. “This aspiration arises from the fact that being a third termer in the lower chamber, Hon. Jagaba has the requisite qualification and experience to lead the House in any capacity.”
But Jagaba, like Jibrin, hails from the same region with the president-elect, Muhammadu Buhari.
Akpatason, former NUPENG president, represents Akoko Edo Federal Constituency of Edo State. He first came into the House in 2011 and belongs to the following committees: industries, petroleum resources (Downstream), public service matters, rural development, solid minerals development and water resources.
While declaring his intention last week, he said: “So far, I have consulted widely with my colleagues across the six geo-political zones as well as party leaders in my state and at the national level.
“I am convinced that with the kind of responses I get from the stakeholders, both at the state and national levels, the chances are very bright.”
However, as all the contenders try to outsmart one another, it remains to be seen if another lawyer will emerge as the speaker.