Tajudeen Abbas, a lawmaker representing Zaria federal constituency (Kaduna), has been elected speaker of the House of Representatives.
On Tuesday, Mr Abbas, an anointed candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), defeated Idris Wase, the former deputy speaker of the ninth assembly, at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
Mr Abbas scored 352 votes of the total 359 votes cast, according to votes monitored on Channels TV live broadcast.
Mr Abbas succeeds Femi Gbajabiamila, now the chief of staff to President Bola Tinubu.
Benjamin Kalu Emerges Deputy Reps Speaker
A member of the House of Representatives representing Bende Federal Constituency in Abia State, Benjamin Kalu, has emerged the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives for the 10th National Assembly.
The anointed candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged unopposed at the inauguration of the 10th House of Representatives on Tuesday in Abuja.
He was subsequently sworn in at 12:21pm on Tuesday.
In the just-concluded elections, the ruling APC secured over 170 of the 360 seats in the green chamber, the highest by any party. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came second with over 100 seats, the Labour Party (LP) with over 35 seats, the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) with about 20.
Many APC lawmakers had indicated interest to emerge the next Speaker of the House. They include Wase, Jaji, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, Yusuf Gagdi, Aliyu Betara, Abdulraheem Olawuyi, Princess Onuoha, amongst others but all others stepped down with the exception of Wase and Jaji.
Earlier, Senator Godswill Akpabio from Akwa Ibom State was elected the President of the 10th National Assembly after he defeated Senator Abdul’aziz Yari.
Meanwhile, Senator Jibrin Barau, who represents Kano North Senatorial District, also emerged unopposed as Senate Deputy President, succeeding Ovie Omo-Agege.
Peoples Gazette/Channels TV