The ambitions of Tajudeen Abbas and Benjamin Kalu to become the next Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives received a major boost on Friday with endorsement from Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.
Speaking while receiving the duo in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, the governor promised his support for only them, being the anointed candidates of their party, the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Wike described Abbas and Kalu as the most qualified aspirants for the positions of Speaker and Deputy Speaker, assuring that he will deliver Rivers votes for them.
According to him, all the 13 members-elect from Rivers State with the exception of one, are with Abbas and Kalu 100 per cent.
The governor promised not to leave any stone unturned to ensure that the 2015 scenario where members-elect went against their party and emerged as leaders of the National Assembly did not repeat itself.
He said: “I want to say here that I am with you fully. You know I do my things in the open. When Chinda told me that you’re coming here, I said there was no need because I am with you fully. All our members are with you, except one, who is doing something else. 2015 won’t repeat itself.
“Let me tell you, I’ll leave office on Monday, and once I leave, we’ll start the campaign fully. I urge all of you to support Abbas. Don’t support him in the day and do something else in the night. You should support him fully.”
On his part, Ikenga Ugochinyere, a House of Representatives member-elect and CUPP spokesman and Communication Adviser to the Tajudeen-Ben Kalu, TBK Group, who was also part of the delegation, expressed excitement over Wike’s endorsement, saying it was a climax to the duo’s victory come June 13.
Ugochinyere, who, also, recently with the support of over 30 others, endorsed the duo of Abbas and Kalu, said the visit was a victory consolidation, adding that the two lawmakers are seconds away from emerging victorious.