The National Working Committee NWC of the ruling all Progressives Congress APC has adopted the candidature of Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege and Hon. Muhammed Idris Wase for the positions of Deputy Senate President and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively.
The development came as lawyers under the aegis of Coalition of Public Interest Lawyers and Advocates CUPA as well as the Middle Belt Alliance for Peace, Development and United Nigeria cautioned members of the House against electing a speaker or principal officers who may have questions to answer regarding their stewardship in other places.
The South-South zonal chapter of the APC had at the weekend also endorsed Omo-Agege, a move that effectively knocked out other contenders like Senators Francis Alimikhena and Orji Uzor Kalu.
National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu in a statement on Monday morning in Abuja said the NWC took the decision after it held emergency meetings between Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th June 2019.
“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”, he said.
The party had earlier announced the duo of Sen. 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” the APC ordered.
It also urged members who have earlier signified interests in the same positions “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”.
