NASS: Wase explains why he contested for Speakership against party’s will

The immediate past Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Wase, on Wednesday morning, congratulated Hon Tajudeen Abbas on his emergence as Speaker of the House.

Wase, who contested against Abbas, while thanking members who voted for him, those who did not and others who wanted him but voted for someone else, also explained why he contested for the office of Speaker despite the choice of Abbas by his party, the All Progressives Congress {APC}.

Wase, in a statement issued on Wednesday, said: “I wish to extend my sincere congratulations to Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas and Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu on their election as Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively of the 10th House of Representatives. Although we were on different sides of the political space, we have, nevertheless, always acknowledged that we were all partners in the project of deepening our parliamentary democracy.

Read also: JUST IN: Abbas emerges new Speaker, House of Representatives

“I believe my contest in this speakership election was much more about making a case for what I considered a lack of equity and fairness in the manner in which my party’s zoning was done much more than it was about winning.

“As a politician who has been engaging in elections since 2007 and has returned to the House for the 5th term, I verily understand that every contest must generate its necessary contentions. However, in the end, we have to come together to confront the bigger matters of stability of the Parliament and enriching Legislative Governance to deepen our collective democracy”.

Wase  further said that he intends to “fervently and actively” participate in all legislative business of the 10th Assembly and would continue to proudly represent not only Wase Federal Constituency in Plateau State but Nigerians at large”.

“I thank those who voted for me. I thank those who did not vote for me. I thank those who voted my opponent even when their heart was with me”, Wase added.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now