Yakubu Dogara has been elected Speaker, House of Representatives in a keenly contested at the Green Chamber Tuesday.
Dogara, who represents Bogoro/ Tafawa Balewa federal constituency in Bauchi state, defeated Femi Gbajabiamila, who represents Surulere federal constituency, Lagos state, to become the Speaker of the 8th Assembly.
Dogara’s emergence is against the wish of his party, the All Progressives Congress, who had last Thursday Gbajabiamila as its preferred candidate.
The Senate had earlier elected Bukola Saraki as its president, also against the wish of the ruling party.
President Muhammad Buhari had said he was not going to interfere with the process of the election and that he would be willing to work with any choice of the lawmakers, but the National Leader of the party Bola Ahmed Tinubu is believed to have insisted on the candidacy of senator Lawan in the senate and Gbajabiamila in the House.
Dogara scored 182 votes to humble Mr. Ggajabiamila wo mustered 174.
Mr. Dogara is emerging the speaker against the wish of his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, which had on Saturday conducted a mock election to choose Mr. Gbajabiamila as the party’s official candidate.
Dogara’s chance, like that of Saraki in the Senate, was boosted early Tuesday when the opposition Peoples Democratic Party adopted him as its candidate and advised its members to vote for the Bauchi lawmaker. Dogara was the chairman House Services committee throughout the life of the last assembly.
