The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has adopted Senator Ovie Omo-Agege for the positions of Deputy Senate President and Hon. Muhammed Idris Wase as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives for the ninth Assembly.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday following the emergency meetings of the NWC held on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 of June 2019.
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He said that the decision was arrived after wide consultations with President Muhammadu Buhari, party stakeholders, including APC governors.
Issa-Onilu said, “The party formally adopts Senator Ovie Omo-Agege for the positions of Deputy Senate President and Hon. Muhammed Idris Wase as Deputy Speaker. This is sequel to wide consultations with President Muhammadu Buhari, party stakeholders, including APC governors.
“You would recall that the party had earlier announced the duo of Senator Ahmed Lawan and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila as the party’s candidates for the positions of Senate President and Speaker of House Representatives respectively.
“All elected APC members of the Senate and House of Representatives are hereby directed to fully mobilise as a united force behind the party’s choice.
“Members who have earlier signified interests in these positions are urged to support the party’s decisions as loyal and committed members of APC by working with other members to ensure the emergence of the adopted candidates.”
Similarly, the APC Governors Forum has equally backed Lawan and Gbajabiamila for the Senate presidency and Speaker of the House respectively.
The progressives governors disclosed this in Abuja after a closed door meeting held at the Kebbi Governor’s lodge. The meeting was the inaugural meeting of the governors after the 2019 elections.
The Governor of Kebbi state and Chairman of the Forum, Atiku Bagudu, said that the governors were unanimous in supporting the party and President Muhammadu Buhari.
He stated: “We equally use the opportunity to deliberate on our support for the leadership of the National Assembly. The governors of the APC have always been unanimous in supporting the party leader, President Muhammadu Buhari and our party in ensuring that we achieve a common purpose
“Towards that extent, we are all unanimous in our support for Senator Ahmed Lawan for the Senate presidency and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila for the Speaker of the House of Representatives and all governors are in agreement and we will work towards that purpose.”
Bagudu urged the members of the party who were kicking against the zoning arrangement to support the party’s position.
According to him, “We are urging our members, Senators and members of the House of Representatives to support the position and it is encouraging to see that other parties are happy to see the emergence of the unanimous position that has been taken by APC.”
Source: THISDAY
Samson Oyedeyi
