One of the major contenders for the position of the speaker in the 9th Assembly, Mohammed Tahir Monguno, has said he dropped his ambition to be speaker in the coming because APC has zoned the senate presidency to the North East.
Hon. Monguno who represents Marte/Monguno/Nganzai Federal Constituency of Borno State, said he believed as a loyal party man, there was no reason to disrespect the party’s decision.
He said it was practically impossible for both the senate president and the speaker to come from the same zone.
Consequently, Monguno, who chairs the House Committee on Agricultural Production and Services, said he declared support for the current House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, to emerge speaker.
Besides, he said, Gbajabiamila had all it took to take the house to the next level, being the most senior APC member in the house, having spent 16 years in the lower chamber since 2003.
“I believe we should all rally round the party and give them the necessary support. I can’t continue with my ambition because the party has zoned the senate president’s seat to my zone. I’m a loyal party man, and I should be the one to be calling on my colleagues to support the party on this. I decided to drop my ambition and support Femi to emerge. If we’ll tell ourselves the truth, Femi is the most ranking among us, and he knows the job. He has been a principal officer since 2007. You can see that he has all it takes.
“He led the opposition as the minority leader very well during the 7th Assembly, and now we all can see how he has been able to bring us together as APC members in the majority party; being house leader,” Monguno, leader of North East Caucus in the house, said.
