After defeat, immediate past Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Idris Ahmed Wase, has hailed the newly elected Speaker of the 10th House, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas and Deputy Speaker Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu on their election.
Wase in a statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen thanked his colleagues for their support and counsel, those who voted for him, those who did not and those who would have voted him but voted his opponent against their will and added that he has enriched his experience.
He assured that he will continue to show “Charity towards all and Malice towards none”.
He stated: “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.
“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.
“I thank all my Honorable Colleagues for their support and counsel. 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. I am eternally grateful to you all and must say that I have been further enriched by the experience. I assure all my colleagues that I will continue to, in the words of Abraham Lincoln, show ‘Charity towards all and Malice towards none’”, Wase stated.
The former Deputy Speaker who has been in the Green chamber for four terms said he intends to fervently and actively participate in all Legislative Business of the 10th Assembly.
“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.
In this light, I wish to once again congratulate the Rt. Hon. Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas and Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu on their victory and urge my supporters and well-wishers, as well as my fellow contestants to give them all the cooperation required to achieve a stable and united 10th House of Representatives. I intend to fervently and actively participate in all Legislative Business of the 10th Assembly and will continue to proudly represent not only the good people of Wase Federal Constituency but Nigerians at large.
“I thank my mentor and Leader, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, GCFR for his continuous fatherly support and counsel which he has sustained from my early days in ACN till date. I am immensely indebted to you sir and will continue to be.
“I thank my constituents who have consistently demonstrated their unalloyed faith in and support for me by continuously returning me to the Green Chambers now for the 5th term to represent them. I will continue to represent you well.
“I thank my Campaign Team and supporters for their ceaseless efforts throughout the campaign. I am very much indebted to you.