UPDATE: 68 reps members from South-West endorse Abbas as speaker

Sixty eight out of the 71 house of representatives’ members from the southwest’s 6 states on Sunday afternoon endorsed Tajudeen Abbas and Benjamin Kalu, for positions of speaker and deputy speaker respectively.

Vanguard learned that this is coming less than 72 hours to the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly.

At the meeting of the southwest caucus, held at the Anambra hall of Transcorp hotel and moderated by Akeem Adeyemi, who is resuming for third term as the member representing AFIJIO/Atiba/Oyo East/Oyo West federal constituency, only three lawmakers— two Labour Party, LP, reps from Lagos and Musliudeen Akinremi (Ibadan North) did not sign the endorsement list.

Jagaban, as Akinremi is popularly called, is returning for a second term on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Tolulope Sadipe, who is a returning lawmaker from Oluyole federal constituency, finally joined the 12 other APC members, and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to make it 13 lawmakers who are supporting the duo.

Vanguard further gathered that APC had 9, while PDP had 5 reps.

Speaking at the event, which was well-attended, all the 9 reps from Osun, all members of the PDP, endorsed Abbas/Kalu ticket.

Oyo had 13 out of 14; Lagos 22 out of 24; 6 out of 6 from Ekiti; 9 out of 9 from Ondo; 9 out of 9 from Ogun.

Adeyemi, who is the son of the departed Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, Alaafin of Oyo, while thanking his colleagues, said that he was proud that the southwest, being the home of the incumbent president, has spoken with one voice with their action.

He added that the region, by the decision of the lawmakers, is ready for all round development that has eluded it for long, adding that the people would enjoy the dividends of democracy therein.