- Hon. Benjamin Kalu says he would no longer vie for the speakership seat of the House of Representatives
- Kalu's decision was in line with the conclusion of the leadership of the All Progressives Congress to zone the position to the northwest
- Meanwhile, the Deputy Speaker spot has been reserved for the southeast zone, and Kalu has been nominated for the role
FCT, Abuja - Benjamin Kalu, the lawmaker representing Bende Federal Constituency, Abia State, in the House of Representatives, has stepped down from his bid to become the next Speaker of the green chamber.
He made this known via a statement made available to Legit.ng on Tuesday, May 9.
Kalu's withdrawal is coming less than 24 hours after the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) announced the nomination of a Kaduna federal lawmaker, Abbas Tajudeen, as the party's choice for the speakership seat of the House of Representatives.
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As contained in the statement, Kalu said he would enter the race for the Deputy Speakers position zoned to the APC's southeastern block.
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He said:
"...as a firm believer in Party supremacy, I have decided to withdraw my candidacy for the Speakership Position and fully accept the nomination for the position of Deputy Speaker of the 10th Assembly in line with the directives of our Party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). "This decision aligns with the Party’s commitment to fairness, equity, and inclusiveness in all of its leadership selection processes.”Kalu thanked the party's leadership for finding him worthy of nomination to deputise the incoming Speaker of the green chamber.
He added that he intended to honour the nomination with robust legislative support and a diligent commitment to advance the party's agenda and nation-building objectives in the 10th National Assembly.
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He also thanked party stakeholders in the southeast for their efforts to ensure that the region was included in the leadership of the 10th Assembly, urging all his supporters across the nation to accept the party's decision.
APC officially announces nominees for Senate President, Speaker
Recall that Legit.ng reported that announced Abbas Tajudeen for the position of speaker of the House of Representatives.
At the same time, the south-south and southeast got the senate president and deputy speaker.
The announcement was made known via a statement issued by APC spokesperson Felix Morka on Monday, May 8.
Source: Legit.ng
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