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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
Ahead of the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly in June, the House of Representatives members-elect of the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, Labour Party and other opposition parties have formed an alliance, with the aim of determining the leadership of the parliament.
Against the background of the moves by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to zone the house leadership, the opposition lawmakers insisted that they have the numbers to override the APC’s plans and determine the people that will lead them.
It was gathered that the opposition lawmakers-elect met in Abuja on Tuesday night where they fine-tuned strategies for using their numbers as bargaining power in their negotiations with the speakership aspirants.
The opposition lawmakers-elect, at the meeting, planned to work together to influence the election of the 10th House of Representatives leadership.
No fewer than 10 persons have indicated interests in being the Speaker of the green chamber.
At Tuesday’s meeting, the lawmakers-elect unanimously formed a group, ‘10th Assembly: Greater Majority.’
In attendance were old and newly elected members of the House on the platforms of the PDP, Labour Party, New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Social Democratic Party( SDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Young Progressives Party (YPP).
Also present at the parley were ranking members of the House, including Oluwole Oke (PDP/Osun), Beni Lar (PDP/Plateau), Boma Goodhead (PDP/Rivers), Bamidele Salam (PDP/Osun), Dachung Bagos (PDP/Plateau), and Jonathan Gbefwi (SDP/Nasarawa), as well as a former ranking member, Abdulmumin Jibrin (NNPP/Kano), who has been reelected back to the parliament.
Out of the results so far declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), APC has won 162 seats while the opposition parties claimed 163 seats.
Speaking on Wednesday, one of the organisers of the meeting, Ali Isa, said the opposition parties had the numbers to get what they want.
“For now, the opposition has not taken any decision. We are still consulting. But we have the numbers to do anything we want.
“All the political parties, – LP, APGA, YPP, SDP, ADC and PDP – came together to be united; to also see what we can do to help this country. As I earlier said a few days ago, the National Assembly is an arm of the government and we as lawmakers are ready to work for the country; we are ready to ensure that every bill that will change the life of the common man sees the light of the day in the assembly.
“We will also appreciate if the executive will allow the lawmakers to enjoy independence. We will also not interfere in the affairs of the executive,” he said.
According to him, the opposition lawmakers will not recognise the zoning of the leadership positions by the APC.
“We have no business with any zoning. We in the opposition, what we are looking at is to unite the country to ensure people benefit. We don’t have any agenda for zoning on our table,” he said.
Isa, who anchored the meeting, noted that the minority parties “will achieve what nobody thinks we can achieve.”
Convener of the coalition, Fred Agbedi (PDP/Bayelsa), in his welcome address, said it was the inaugural meeting of the minority caucuses which he referred to as the “Greater Majority of the expected 10th House.’’
He stated that the results of the 2023 elections indicated that the opposition members could exert a lot of influence if they were united.
“This session is to enable us to network, interact and familiarise ourselves as people that the results of the 2023 general election have thrown up as a new phase, having numbers that give us greater strength to deepen opposition politics and democracy.
“Therefore, we need to realise such and bond in the interest of our parties and the people we are here to represent,” Agbedi said.
In their goodwill messages representatives of the seven opposition parties, namely PDP, LP, NNPP, SDP, APGA, ADC and YPP hinted at the ideas behind the coalition.
Addressing her colleagues, Lar said it was her “sincere wish and prayer” that as the opposition united to “start this journey of unity and friendship, achieving a common purpose and goal, they would work together, define their interests and have a common understanding to bring about good leadership not just among ourselves but within the National Assembly in the 10th Assembly.”
The fifth-term lawmaker noted that Jibrin “had always played a role in the emergence of Speakers in the House and I am sure you will play a role, Abdul.”
She added that the Kano lawmaker “will not be silenced in the face of oppression in the National Assembly.”
“It is a great joy to see that for the first time in a long time, the opposition, together, has become the majority in the 10th Assembly. All of us out together are now the majority and a greater majority for that matter. This is something that is priceless; something that many parliaments around the world seek to achieve but cannot achieve,” Lar said.
In his remarks, Jibrin said he was excited “that we were able to pull this through today.”
Jibrin was said to have played a significant role in the emergence of Aminu Tambuwal, Yakubu Dogara and the incumbent Femi Gbajabiamila as successive speakers of the House.