As desired by the ruling All Progressives Congress, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas and Ho. Benjamin Kalu Tuesday emerged the Speaker a nd deputy speaker of the 10th House of Representatives.
Abbas,representing Zaria Federal Constituency was elected in an “openly declare” ballot system by members of the House.
Kalu was thereafter adopted by members-elect alongside Abbas who polled 353 votes after a roll call of members-elect. The Hiuse has 360 seats.
There were three contestants in the race, with the winner expected to defeat the others by a simple majority.
Abbas, after crossing the winning margin in the election, defeated his opponents: outgoing Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase, and Sani Jaji, who polled three votes, respectively.
While Abbas contested against two aspirants, Kalu emerged as Deputy Speaker of the House unopposed on Tuesday.
The Clerk to the National Assembly, Sani Tambuwal, after confirming that there were no other nominations for the position, swore in Kalu as Deputy Speaker immediately.
Kalu, representing Bende Federal Constituency in Abia State, takes over from the Deputy Speaker of the 9th National Assembly, Idris Wase.
The emergence of Kalu followed the election of a member from Zaria Federal Constituency in Kaduna State, Tajudeen Abbas as Speaker of the Green Chamber.
Abbas defeated Wase and Aminu Jaji on Tuesday at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja scoring 353 votes of the total 359 votes cast while Jaji and Wase polled three votes each.
In the just-concluded elections, the ruling APC secured over 170 of the 360 seats in the green chamber, the highest by any party. The Peoples’ Democratic Party came second with over 100 seats, the Labour Party with over 35 seats, the New Nigeria People’s Party with about 20.
