Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, All Progressives Congress’s official candidate of the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives yesterday turned down an offer of Deputy Speaker.

DAILY POST gathered that shortly after Hon. Yakubu Dogara’s election as Speaker, he personally reached out to Gbajabiamila to take the slot of Deputy Speaker.

Dogara was said to have held a brief discussion with Gbajabiamila, with an appeal to accept nomination.


The parley took about thirty minutes.

Before going for the meeting, Gbajabiamilia reportedly reached out to some party bigwigs to intimate them of the development.

But the signal he got was clear: He must not accept any position below the Speaker of the House.

Dogara’s camp, however, pressed on to get Gbajabiamila to change his mind.


When it became clear the former Minority Leader would not take the offer, his camp asked Hon Mohammed Monguno (Borno, APC), to accept the nomination.

Monguno was, however, defeated by Hon. Suileman Lasun Yusuff (Osun), who had the backing of Dogara’s camp as Monguno is from same region with the new Speaker.

Several other lawmakers too made efforts to convince Monguno to step down for Yusuff since he is a Northerner.

He rejected the appeal and insisted on contesting.

Yusuff, the new second-in-command at the Green Chamber, a second term lawmaker, eventually polled 203 votes as against Monguno’s 153. He was sworn in immediately by the Clerk.

Also, former Deputy Majority Leader, Hon Leo Ogor (Delta, PDP) had declined to run for the office despite pressure mounted on him by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus in the Lower Chamber to do so.

http://dailypost.ng/2015/06/10/how-gbajabiamila-turned-down-dogaras-offer-of-deputy-speaker/

I think Tinubu should work on his National Appeal ..... all the Honourables would have voted for gbaja but Tinubu put them all off ....... They all love gbaja and knew he deserve the speakership by his charisma and knowledge of the business of the house but Tinubu is what they don't want.

Jagaban should chill , mellow, calm down and work on his national appeal if he is gonna ever sell any national candidate in the future ....... senators woulda voted against even a Fashola if Tinubu's hand is found all over him despite the national appeal possessed by Fashola.

Tinubu should use this lesson to evolve from Southwest champion to National Politician ..... Rally Round Buhari, Bukola and dogaran ...... He should reach out to southeast and south south as well as core north.

Tinubu is not a national politician and this has been proven.

Personally, I would have preferred Gbaja over Dogara but I think Tinubu factor ruined Gbaja's chances.

Make I grab seat dey look at the drama as e dey unfold

The poster above me...funny you

Gbajabiamila's chances was not ruined by Tinubu's factor but by the senate coup that produced Saraki earlier during the day.


Saraki is categorized as a Northern yoruba and it won't practiceable to have another Yoruba leading the house of Reps.



It will mean one ethnic group occupying 2nd, 3rd and 4th position in the national hierarchy at the same time.