…as clamour for north-central, youthful candidate heightens
A 42-year old Yusuf Gagdi, the member representing Pankshin/Kanam/Kanke Federal Constituency of Plateau State in the House of Representatives is positioned to emerge the Speaker of the Green Chamber.
This is as the clamour for the Speaker of the House be ceded to the North-central geopolitical zone and youths is heightening.
Also known as Middle Belt, the North-central geopolitical zone comprises of six states, namely, Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger and Plateau as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The only time the North-central zone produced a Speaker of House was in 1983 when Chaha Biam from Benue State was elected to the exalted office which he served barely two months (October to December) and the military ousted the Second Republic.
With the election of members for the 10th session of House, there has been renewed calls for the zone and a youth therefrom to take a shot at the number four position in the country.
The call came immediately after the general election from the All Progressives Congress (APC) Youth Stakeholders Forum, North-central for the ruling party and President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to zone the Speaker of the House of Representatives position to the region.
The forum said the geo-political zone deserves the office given its contributions to the electoral victory of the party and the President-elect against all odds and intimidations.
The leader of the forum, Dominic Alancha, said the performance of the party in the north-central was a testament to the fact that the region remains the swing zone stressing that any party that the zone flips to is primed to always win the election.
According to him: “It is on record that since 2015, 2019 and now in 2023 respectively the north central has been flipping APC for victory. Indeed, our region has remained faithful to the ideals of the APC for a good course.
“It will not be out of place if we as a region call on our great party the All Progressive Party APC to consider and zone the position of the Speaker of the 10th of representatives to the North-central, given her outstanding performance in the just concluded 2023 general election and for fairness and equity.
“As a sagacious leader, we have no fears about your ability to fetch the best hands for further assignments. Another point, which we shall quickly want to stress to you is that, please sir make your government a youth-friendly one. This is imperative.”
A public affairs analyst, Andrew Agbese while also canvassing for the position said: “With the current arrangement where the President-elect comes from the South-West and the Vice President-elect from the North-East, it is expected that the Senate presidency would go to the South-East, while the position of Deputy Senate President would go to the North-West. Then, the positions of Speaker and Deputy Speaker should go to the North-Central and South-South regions respectively.
“This will ensure fairness and equity and give all the zones a sense of belonging in the next administration. Moreover, the North-Central zone has contributed massively to the victory of the APC during the Presidential and National Assembly elections that it should be given priority consideration in the allocation of political offices.”
Already, the race for the speakership has begun in earnest
with the Deputy Speaker, Idris Wase (APC, Plateau); Muktar Aliyu Betara (APC, Borno); Benjamin Kalu (APC, Abia); Aminu Jaji (APC, Zamfara); and Alhassan Ado Doguwa (APC, Kano) and Gagdi, the chairman of the Committee on Navy as top contenders.
Out of these, it is only Wase and Gagdi are from the North-central and they are both from Plateau.
While Wase is a ranking member and Deputy Speaker with the requisite knowledge and experience to run the Green Chamber, his fellow Plateau brother co-contestant fill the void for youths.
For instance, the Middle Belt Progressives Youths have asked APC to nominate Gagdi for the Speakership position even as he is still consulting.
In a statement issued on Monday, Danladi Ahmed, president of the group, said as a youth, the 42-year-old legislator has the experience to be the speaker.
“As the party prepares to work out the zoning arrangements for the next 10th National Assembly, we would like to make case for Rt. Honourable Yusuf Gagdi, the member representing Pankshin/Kanam/Kanke Federal Constituency of Plateau State to emerge the next Speaker of the House of Representatives,” the statement reads.
“We also urged the party leadership to zone the Speakership position to the North Central geopolitical zone in the interest of justice, fairness and inclusive participation in governance.
“Gagdi, who currently chairs the House Committee on Navy, is a vibrant and versatile lawmaker who has all the requisite legislative experience and leadership acumen to pilot the affairs of the 10th House of Representatives.
“Gagdi has garnered robust legislative experience to pilot the affairs of the 10th House of Representatives.”
Prior to his coming to the House of Representatives in 2019 barely at 38, Gagdi had amassed experience as the Deputy Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly.
With this background and apparently vibrancy, the first time lawmaker was immediately after inauguration appointed into the ad-hoc Committee on Media and Public Affairs and spoke for the House before the constitution of standing Committees.
When standing Committees were formed, Gagdi was appointed chairman of the Committee on Navy, affairs of which he has been effectively handling.
Gagdi has sponsored several bills which have been passed into law, including Police Act 2020, and National Hydrographic Agency Act 2021 while doing pretty well in constituency outreach.