By Adaeze Onuora , Abakaliki
The Member representing Ikwo/ Ezza-South Federal Constituency of Ebonyi State in the House of Representatives, Hon. Chinedu Ogah has said that he is qualified in all ramifications as a ranking member to become the Deputy Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives
Oga disclosed this to Newsmen in Abuja during an interview session, while saying that Deputy Speakership was zoned to the South East by the ruling All Progressives Congress and he is more qualified as a ranking member
According to Oga who revealed that he is the only person that stood out to campaign for the party , (APC) in the South East with the highest votes cast in his area
He said;
"Check out results in 2019 and in 2023 to confirm"
"It’s not when somebody has 15 votes in his polling unit. We are all qualified to contest. To that extent, I am going to contest on the floor of the chamber,”
zoning of presiding officers of the 10th House of Representatives was without consultation by the party.
The lawmaker-elect who is contesting for the office of the Deputy Speaker, frowned over the micro-zoning of the office of the Deputy Speakership to a particular individual, insisting that it has never happened that way, adding there would always be consultation with members-elect before the Party takes position, but the APC leadership took a decision which got to them through Facebook, noting that it was unacceptable.
“I am a founding member of APC and if our party zoned the position, we have to be called. We held a meeting in the Villa where the Vice President-elect told us that we should all wait till after the supplementary election. After the supplementary election, we were not called until we started seeing something on facebook.”
"We belief that the party and the President-elect will call members to discuss before the inauguration day.
“If our party is going to zone presiding officers, we are going to be called. I will always make a reference, when Comrade Adams Oshiomhole was the National Chairman that led to the emergence of our Speaker, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.
“Oshiomhole called a meeting, then Hon. Idris Wase was contesting, Hon. Betara was contesting and there was a kind of written agreement to have Femi as the consensus of the party. Wase to deputise him, while Betara was to go for House Committee Chairman on Appropriations. The party came out with a unanimous voice and pushed their decision to the press." Oga said
