Gbajabiamila formally declares ambition to be Reps Speaker (LIVE UPDATES)

The Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, will today formally declare his intention to vie for the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives in the ninth assembly.

The event is holding at the Lagos/Osun hall of Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

The lawmaker, who represents Surulere II federal constituency of Lagos State in the House of Representatives, would be a fifth term member in the next assembly.`

His declaration is coming two days before his party, All Progressives Congress (APC), meets to decide on who to back for the exalted position.

The APC leadership recently declared support for Yobe senator, Ahmed Lawan, to become the next Senate President. The party is also believed to be in support of Mr Gbajabiamila’s candidacy for Speaker.

The adoption of Mr Lawan was condemned by some APC lawmakers including Borno senator, Ali Ndume, who also seeks to be the Senate president.

Mr Ndume, from Borno State, has vowed to continue with his ambition, saying he enjoys the support of many elected APC senators.

The APC enjoys a clear majority in the incoming House of Representatives, winning over 200 of the 360 seats.

The party is expected to produce the Speaker, but as it happened in 2015, a different candidate other than that endorsed by the party leadership may contest the election.

While both Messrs Lawan and Gbajabiamila were endorsed by the party for the positions in 2015, Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara emerged as the Senate President and Speaker of the House respectively.

The two winners later defected from the APC to the PDP.

So far, there are at least 10 members that have indicated interest in the position of Speaker.

Mr Gbajabiamila is however considered the leading candidate.

Stay with PREMIUM TIMES for live updates of the proceedings at Mr Gbajabiamila’s declaration.