New Speaker and Deputy Speaker in the Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Tuesday, took oath of office after they were unanimously elected by the members.
Tajudeen Abbas has been elected the new Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives.
The Member-elect for Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, has emerged unopposed as the Deputy Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives on Tuesday afternoon.
Abbas polled 353 votes of the 350 members to emerge the winner of the Speakership election.
The other contestants, former Deputy Speaker Idris Wase and Sani Jaji, polled three votes each.
Mr Abbas is the anointed candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He represents Zaria Federal Constituency of Kaduna State, North-west Nigeria.
The new Speaker was first elected to the House in 2011. He succeeds Femi Gbajabiamila.
Meanwhile, Kalu’s emergence followed the election of Abbas as the new Speaker of the House with a landslide victory.
Abbas had earlier defeated Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase and Hon. Aminu Sani Jaji, in a keenly contested Speakership election.
Kalu, who is the immediate spokesperson of the House of Representatives, was nominated for the position by Babajimi Benson from Lagos State and seconded by Khadijat Bukar Abba Ibrahim from Yobe state.
After accepting his nomination and in the absence of counter nomination, the Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), Magaji Tambuwal, closed further nomination at exactly 12.06 noon.
Consequently, Kalu was declared Deputy Speaker and thereafter administered oaths of office and that of the membership of the National Assembly.
