Speaker: Dogara fingered in plot against Gbajabiamila

Despite a four-year harmonious working relationship, there were indications last night that House of Representatives Speaker  Yakubu Dogara may not favour Majority Leader  Femi Gbajabiamila to succeed him.

Dogara and Gbajabiamila were back in the trenches last night as the case in 2015.

Dogara has adopted a two-edge approach to stop Gbajabiamila, including:

• causing a division in the All Progressives Congress (APC) House Caucus to pave the way for his second term or;
• sponsoring one of his loyalists against  Gbajabiamila.

Three of those vying for Speaker in the APC Caucus has been fingered as “likely running strategic errands for Dogara”.

Dogara’s three loyalists in the APC Caucus are: Hon. Mohammed Umar Bago(Niger);  Hon. Idris Ahmed Wase (Plateau);  and Hon. Aliyu Mukhtar Betara(Borno).

A ranking member of the House confirmed the plot to stop Gbajabiamila by Dogara and top leaders of PDP.

”They are making efforts to split the APC Caucus. Already,  the jostle for the Office of the Speaker of the House has been deliberately made clumsy and crowded to achieve a purpose. About seven members-elect have indicated interest to be Speaker. Apart from Gbajabiamila, others came from zones outside the Southwest favoured by the party.

”The Speaker of the House of Representatives is highly interested in his successor and the horse-trading so far indicated that he does not support Gbajabiamila. He has the choices of either plotting to succeed himself or installing his stooge.

”As a matter of fact, some PDP elements were implicated in the protest by some people agitating that the Speaker should come from Northcentral

“The likes of Bago, Wase, Betara, who are APC members but supported Dogara to be Speaker in 2015, are enjoying the backing of Dogara who is still interested in running for the office despite his party’s minority status.

”Dogara’s target is to secretly finance the trio of Bago, Wase and Betara of APC against Gbajabiamila, irrespective of the directives of Mr. President and the APC leadership.

”Dogara and his strategists want to split APC votes and get PDP lawmakers to garner block votes for Dogara who still enjoys the backing of a former Speaker,  Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki.”

A source in PDP Caucus said: “The Speaker has not declared whether or not he will be seeking a second term in office. But it can be inferred from the position of our party that all principal offices are not the exclusive preserve of the APC.

”I know Dogara is strategising by consulting all members on the desirability or otherwise  of a second term ticket. Some of our leaders are already flying the kites that PDP should prevail on Dogara to re-contest for the office.

”Dogara has the constitutional right to vie again for Speaker and it is left to members to decide whether or not to vote for him.”

The Speaker’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Turaki Hassan, could not be reached for comments; he did not pick his calls.  He also did not respond to a text message pleading that he should either pick or return the calls of our correspondent.