Former Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, relinquished his position, paving the way for his successor, Abbas.
The members of the Joint Task -10th Assembly, loyal to Gbajabiamila, rallied support for Abbas, who was nominated by the outgoing Speaker and endorsed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Tinubu.
There are strong indications that various leaders from the APC-opposition alliance may retain the roles they held in the 9th House.
The Joint Task’s Co-Chairman, Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers), is reportedly set to become the Minority Leader of the House.
In the 9th House, Chinda had lost his bid for the position to Ndudi Elumelu, an ally of Gbajabiamila’s APC faction.
Sources within the Joint Task revealed that outgoing chairmen such as Olawale Raji of the Committee on House Services, Babajimi Benson of Defence, Bella Kumo of Police Affairs, and Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo of the Niger Delta Development Commission, may keep their roles.
One of the chairmen, choosing to remain anonymous, shared with Punch, “People say we have done well.”
Another Joint Task leader expressed confidence in his contributions, saying, “He (Abbas) knows my contributions. I am a founding member of his campaign.”
On the prospect of speakership aspirants, who conceded their bids for Abbas, retaining their committee chairmanships, the member commented, “Well, I don’t know. There is a possibility.”
