10th Assembly Speakership: Be fair to North-Central, Gagdi tells APC

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10th Assembly Speakership: Be fair to North-Central, Gagdi tells APC

Rep. Yusuf Gagdi (APC-Plateau) has urged the leadership of All Progressives Congress (APC) to be fair to the North-Central by zoning the speakership of the 10th National Assembly to the region.

He made a case for the region on Thursday while speaking with some newsmen in Abuja.

The lawmaker, who had indicated interest in becoming the speaker of the House of Representatives in the 10th assembly, said it was being anticipated that the APC would zone the position to the North-Central.

“I have said it clearly that I will step down if the party did not zone it to the North-Central but it will not be fair to the region that had contributed enormously to the party and has not produced the speaker since the return of democracy in 1999.

Gagdi pointed out that zoning the speaker to North-West that had produced it four times or the North-East that had occupied the seat two times would not be fair to the North-Central.

Justifying why he should be considered for the office, Gagdi pointed out that in his first outing as a legislator he sponsored about 12 bills, six of which were assented to by the President.

He said his record was unrivalled even by those who had been in the house for 16 years.

“Tell me a member that has in his three years of his first term in the National Assembly sponsored such number of bills that were assented to by the president.

“I am going for a second term in the National Assembly but I have done what a lot of ranking members have not done.

“On the basis of record in the National Assembly, I should be considered. I should be allowed, including all of us from the North-Central.

“The National Assembly is all about lawmaking, parliamentary engagement and oversight.

“If commitment, service and experience are judged on what we have done, I think I am equally ranking. I have other qualities that some fifth timer don’t have and I say this without apologies, “he said.  (NAN)