Gbajabiamila Emerges Reps Majority Leader, S’East Loses Out

Former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, emerged as the Majority Leader of the 8th House on Tuesday after a leadership tussle spanning 49 days, starting from the inauguration of the House on June 9.

The Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, announced the Lagos lawmaker as the majority leader about 3.19pm on the floor of the House.

“Now, this is the big one,” Dogara told eagerly waiting members as he named Gbajabiamila the House leader.

The announcement came following last-minute negotiations between the warring factions of the All Progressives Congress caucus of the House that had been involved in the leadership tussle.

The choice of Gbajabiamila also altered the initial plan of the Speaker to zone the majority leader to the North-West.

By Tuesday’s development, the South-West produced the majority leader.

The position of Deputy Leader went to Mr. Buba Jibrin (North-Central), while Mr. Alhassan Ado-Doguwa (North-West) was named the Chief Whip.

The position of Deputy Whip was given to Mr. Pally Iriase (South-South).

The South-East became the loser in the APC’s caucus in the House.

House Deputy Speaker, Mr. Yusuf Lasun, who is from the South-West, retained his position, laying to rest the speculation that he had been asked to resign in order to accommodate Gbajabiamila on the body of principal officers.

The minority Peoples Democratic Party also unveiled its principal officers.

Former Deputy Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor (South-South) was named the minority leader, while the post of deputy minority leader went to Ugochukwu Onyeama (South-East).

Mr. Yakubu Barde (North-West) emerged as the minority whip, while Binta Bello-Maigeri (North-East) became the deputy minority whip.

There had been no dispute in the PDP’s caucus over the choice of principal offices, unlike in the APC.

Findings by The PUNCH showed that Dogara had invited all the actors to his back office on Tuesday, where they negotiated for nearly one hour before they finally struck an agreement.(Punch)