*As Aliero, Adeleke Back Deputy Speaker After Closed-Door Meeting In Abuja
THE aspiration of the current deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Idris Wase for the speakership of the Green Chamber received a boost on Friday as two key governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) attested to his experience and loyalty.
The attestation came as Wase visited Governors Babagana Zulum and Dapo Abiodun of Borno and Ogun States respectively.
Both governors spoke separately when Wase led a team of 14 Federal Lawmakers, including freshers, to their respective residences in Abuja.
While Zulum said: “no one can take away your experience, competence and loyalty”, the Ogun governor acknowledged that Wase had “demonstrated party loyalty, commitment and humility as great qualities to lead the House of Representatives”.
As the APC governors spoke, former governor of Kebbi state, now re-elected as senator, Adamu Aliero and the Osun state governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke backed Wase’s aspiration.
Zulum who while receiving Wase said, although he was not in doubt about the ability and capacity of the deputy, the first struggle has to be how the position of speaker will be zoned to the north central.
The Borno governor said:”We are mot in dount about your capabilities, capacity and competence; no one can even take away your experience, loyalty and commitment to our party.
“But let’s get the first hurdle, which is zoning the position to the north central and then we know what to do. Let’s pray hard so that we can fix that aspect of the race because I know the conversation is already on among us; I mean the governors. We will meet again on Wednesday to continue the conversation and Allah will answer prayers”, he said.
On his part, the Ogun governor said he was abreast with Wase’s”high level of loyalty”, noting that the depity had played very key roles alongside the speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, to bring about political stability.
“Your high level of loyalty and quality service to Nigeria in your capacity as deputy speaker to Femi Gbajabiamila has been key in stabilising the polity.
“You have demonstrated over the years that you are true party man, a very consistent personality and a true democrat and progressive having grown from the defunct AC, ACN till today; you never disappointed the progresaive family in any manner.
“Therefore, without prejudice to zoning, you stand out as a personality who deserves to be speaker to continue to contribute your quota to national development”, Governor Abiodun told Wase.
Meanwhile, Senator Aliero and the Osun state governor, Adeleke have assured Wase of their support after a brief close-door meeting at the former Kebbi governor’s Maitama, Abuja residence on Friday night.
Aliero who addressed a handful of Wase’s colleagues after closed-door meeting said: “there is no reason for any of you to be worried; we just finished the ‘larger meeting’.
“Myself, a close friend and neighbour as well as the governor of Osun state just met with the deputy speaker and gave our assurances to support him for the position of speaker”, Aliero said.