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For the first time ever in the history of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, the opposition parties have got more numbers than the ruling party as of today.
The recent Supplementary elections in the country put figures of opposition to 182, one more than 181 by the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).
It was gathered that the opposition parties won seats than the ruling APC in the February 25, 2023 elections for the House of Representatives. More than 30 seats were however not decided until the supplementary polls held on April 15, 2023.
Meanwhile, the opposition caucus has resolved to clinch the speakership position of the 10th Assembly if situation remains like this upon resumption in July 2023.
Since the introduction of the presidential system of government in 1979, no ruling party in Nigeria has failed to win a majority in the two chambers of the National Assembly. Should the numbers claimed by the opposition be confirmed, it would be a first.
Although, the Independent National Electoral Commission is yet to publish a comprehensive list of members-elect for the National Assembly. The commission has not published an updated list from the one it released before the April 15 supplementary polls.
The list had the APC winning 162 seats while the seven opposition parties had won 163 seats. The lack an updated list has however not stopped the opposition parties from claiming the majority in the House of Representatives.
And according to Civichive, which has been publishing election results as declared by INEC, the APC has won 175 seats in the House of Representatives while the PDP has won 118 seats. The Labour Party has 35 seats with the NNPP winning 19 seats. APGA has five seats, while SDP and ADC have two seats each. YPP has a single seat with 3 seats still pending.
The lawmakers from the seven political parties that won election into the 10th House of Representatives after an emergency meeting in Abuja stated that it was primed to contest the positions of Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the 10th National Assembly.
Speaking with journalists on the position of the Caucus, a member-elect from Anambra, Hon. Victor Afam Ogene, stated that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria permits every elected member with the statutory right to gun for any leadership position, subject to the standing orders of the House.
“Besides the issue of ranking, every member is entitled to run for the office of Speaker, regardless of political party affiliation.
“The All Progressives Congress (APC) or any political party for that matter, reserves the right to regale itself with talks about micro-zoning leadership positions in the National Assembly. But the overriding question remains, are such fanciful engagements binding on the generality of members-elect? The answer today, tomorrow and until our current constitution is altered to reflect that desire is a big No.
“Issues surrounding this all-important question is easily resolved, in the case of the House of Representatives, by Section 50(1)(b), to wit:” There shall be a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, who shall be elected by the members of that House from among themselves.
“While zoning is permitted, as an intra-party solution to the sharing of political offices, seeking to enforce such on the generality of members would be tantamount to affronting Section 50 of the Nigerian constitution.
“Besides, political parties must not always use the National Assembly as guinea pigs for their zoning fancies. Why didn’t these governors summon the same courage, which they currently seek to flaunt, during the presidential primaries, by micro-zoning the presidency to a particular zone? If it was okay to say that the presidential ticket should go to the South, then I think they ought to follow through with that same template, and propose, for instance, that the Speakership should go to the North.”