Breaking: Tajudeen Abbas Declared Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives

Tajudeen Abbas has been elected Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives. The legislator for Zaria Federal Constituency received 353 votes out of 359 ballots, defeating his rivals Ahmed Wase and Sani Jaji, who each received three votes.

The APC had appointed Abbas as Speaker and Hon Benjamin Kalu as Deputy Speaker of the 10th House, respectively. This did not sit well with other candidates known as the G-7, who promised to continue competing.

Members of the G-7 stopped their requests to run for Speaker of the 10th Assembly, one after the other, due to pressure, counsel, or personal conviction.

After meeting with President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima on Sunday, Betara and Gagdi dropped their aspirations. Wase and Jaji remained in the campaign for speaker, bringing the total number of candidates to three.

The session began before 10 a.m., with the Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlami, presided over by the Clerk of the House.

Ogunlami called the roll for all 359 Members-elect, then called for nominations for the office of Speaker of the 10th House.

The House approved the open ballot approach, which is established in its updated House rule, which provides that when there are more than two nominations, each member-elect must openly announce his or her preferred candidates for the position of Speaker.

While former Majority Leader of the House Alhassan Ado-Doguwa nominated Abbas, Tijjani Kayode Ismail of Kwara State nominated Ahmed Wase, the immediate past Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Nnolim Nnaji supported Abbas' nomination. And Doguwa indicated that Abbas has the necessary Parliamentary experience, competence, and ability to interact with other branches of government to preside over the 10th Assembly.

Jaji from Zamfara State was nominated by Ahmed Yusuf Ibrahim of Katsina State. Jaji accepted the nomination and declared that he was out to safeguard democracy.

Members-elect applauded a former contestant for Speaker, Aliyu Betara when he voted for Abbas. Many legislators cheered and hailed Betara when he was asked to announce his choice among the three candidates for the seat.

The legislator declared his support for Abbas. Former Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila was also applauded after proclaiming his support for Abbas.