NASS LEADERSHIP: ELUMELU, OSSAI, CHUKWUKA, ABONTA BATTLE FOR HOUSE MINORITY LEADER

As the race for presiding officers within the ranks of members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the National Assembly heightens, members of the opposition parties, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are also neck deep in the campaign to produce their leaders.

New Telegraph reliably gathered at the weekend that the competition to succeed the minority leader, Hon. Leo Ogor, has begun in earnest and four front liners have emerged.

 According to our source, chairman of the House committee on ethics and privileges, Hon. Ossai Nicholas Ossai (PDP, Delta); deputy minority leader, Hon. Onyeama Chukwuka (PDP, Anambra); chairman, committee on public petitions, Hon. Uzoma Nkem-Abonta (PDP, Abia) and one-time chairman power committee, Hon. Ndudi Godwin Elumelu (PDP, Delta) are in the race for the minority leader position.

A PDP member from Enugu who confided in New Telegraph said some of these candidates have started making contacts with their colleagues to support their ambitions.

“I can confirm to you that there may be many more candidates coming out for minority leader and don’t forget that we are not foreclosing the possibility of producing even the speaker or deputy if the APC does not put its house in order.

But for now, I know that Hon. Chuchu (Chukwuka Onyema), Hon. Ossai, Hon. Abonta and Hon. Elumelu are the names on the lips of many of our party members.

They have started the legwork and our colleagues are assessing each of them and we shall do the needful when the House is inaugurated,” the lawmaker told New Telegraph.

It is believed that the duo of Ossai and Elumelu is poised for a showdown. Ossai, as chairman of ethics and privileges under Speaker Yakubu Dogara investigated allegations of breach of House rules against erstwhile appropriation committee chairman, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin and recommended his suspension.

He is described as “a vocal, hardworking and resilient lawmaker,” by one of his colleagues.

Elumelu, younger brother to billionaire entrepreneur, Mr. Tony Elumelu, is best remembered for chairing the committee on power under Speaker Dimeji Bankole, which indicted former President Olusegun Obasanjo in the $16 billion alleged waste on power.

He is coming back after losing out in 2015.

Regarding what becomes of the incumbent minority leader, Hon. Leo Ogor, a PDP lawmaker said: “You know Hon. Ogor is a very competent and effective opposition leader, but his health failed him in the last two years of the outgoing Assembly.

 Most of us believe he has done his best and even though he has been re-elected, it is time to call it quit. He should give way for another person, but we appreciate him.

” When contacted, Hon. Ossai confirmed his interest in the race, explaining that he was “qualified and has what it takes to lead opposition in the House.”

 Ossai said his interest in being minority leader is anchored on “the issue of capacity and style of leadership, which I feel should be changed in the 9th Assembly.”

 He told New Telegraph that as minority leader he will work towards “strengthening state caucuses” and “will offer pragmatic opposition.”

 “Opposition that will generate solutions and not necessarily criticise; I will introduce opposition that is intellectually based,” he stated.

Meanwhile, memberselect from Benue and Plateau states have endorsed the speakership candidature of Hon. John Dyegh (APC, Benue), insisting that the North-Central must produce the speaker for balance, justice and equality. Dyegh, who represents Gboko/Tarka federal constituency, is the only APC and will formally declare his intention to contest for speaker on Wednesday.


The lawmakers, who revealed this at the weekend when they were hosted to a welcome party by Dyegh in his residence in Abuja, argued that since the position of Senate President has been taken to the North- East, the North-Central, which gave the third highest number of votes in the presidential election, should be compensated with speaker.

According to them, “The ruling party must take into consideration the diverse ethnic, religious and geopolitical coloration of the country and balance it for equity, fairness and justice.

” Speaking individually on the candidature of Dyegh, the lawmakers maintained that being the only ranking member-elect on the platform of the APC from Benue and the only Christian among the contestants from North-Central, he should be given the nod for “religious balance and unity.”

 Francis Agbo (PDP, Benue), member-elect for Ado/Ogbadigbo/Okpokwu federal constituency, while supporting Dyegh, said: “I believe strongly that any configuration that did not take the consideration of North-Central is dead on arrival.

I believe North- Central should have speaker and a Benue son should be speaker because of our contributions.” In his view, Hon. Richard Gbande (PDP, Benue), representing Katsina Ala/ Ukum Logo federal constituency, submitted that “Dyegh is competent by every standard.”

According to Hon. Bob Tyough (PDP, Benue) representing Kwande/Ushongo federal constituency, “we cannot have the president, senate president, Chief justice of the Federation, speaker and deputy speaker of the House and all service chiefs as Muslims.

We need to be fair to every faith and group in this country. Dyegh is cosmopolitan and we are not talking about an APC speaker, but a speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives.

He has done well over the years and we will work for him.”

Hon. Solomon Maren, representing federal constituency of Plateau, said: “If the North-Central loses number three (Senate President), we should not lose number four.

We voted for this president and he must not forsake our contributions to his victory.”

Coming from the background of faith, Hon. Benjamin Mzondu (PDP), representing Makurdi/Guma federal constituency of Benue, encouraged Dyegh not to cave into pressure from any angle and pull out of the race.

To member representing Jos South/Jos East, Hon. Dachung Musa Bagos, “the contributions of North-Central should not be downplayed.

And I advise Hon. John Dyegh to be prayerful, focused and the result will be positive.” Hon. Kpam Jimin Sokpo (PDP), representing Buruku federal constituency of Benue, said, “the era where those who work were denied their rights has passed. North-Central is deserving of speaker and no one should nurse the idea of taking the speakership from us.”

Earlier, Dyegh, who has been re-elected for the third time, told the members- elect that he decided to join the race because he was competent and has the required experience and know-how to lead the House. He said his ambition was not for pecuniary considerations, but to foster unity, equity and fairness amongst the geopolitical zones that made up Nigeria.

“For fairness and justice, we deserve to be given the position of speaker. Look at the number of votes we gave the president; we are number three and the first two have been adequately compensated: that is North-West and North-East. South-West came fourth but they have the vice president. Therefore, the speaker should be ours,” the lawmaker said.

Dyegh will become the fourth contestant to officially declare his ambition out of the 13 candidates in the race.

He is also the third in the race from North- Central after Hon. Umaru Mohammed Bago and Hon. Ahmed Wase.

Those who had earlier declared include House leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila (APC, Lagos), Hon. Umaru Mohammed Bago (APC, Niger) and Hon. Nkeiruika Onyeojocha (APC, Abia).

Meanwhile, more facts have emerged why Dyegh who, a few weeks ago, was the director general of Ahmed Wase Campaign Organisation, decided to join the race for speaker.

A member of the APC North-Central caucus told New Telegraph that “Wase betrayed the caucus by secretly accepting to withdraw from the race and run alongside Hon. Gbajabiamila as deputy speaker.”

Speaking to our correspondent at the weekend, the lawmaker said: “The North-Central as a caucus had agreed to push for the position of speaker and we were all working for Hon. Wase, but he was called to the Villa for a meeting and he accepted to be deputy speaker.


“He did not tell us; he kept us in the dark and we have to look for an alternative. John Dyegh was offered the position of deputy speaker before him (Wase), but he refused in the interest of the region.

For Wase, whom we were working for to go behind us and do that; we can no longer trust him.” Giving details of the meeting, the lawmaker disclosed that it was two Saturdays ago, at a meeting brokered by Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai and it was attended by Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi and Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa where Wase was convinced to withdraw from the Speakership race.

“We cannot condone such a betrayal in the North-Central; we worked for the victory of APC and we deserve to be treated fairly with respect and no single individual can use us to achieve personal gains,” he stated.

New Telegraph