President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has extended an invitation to Senators-elect and members-elect of the House of Representatives for a high-stakes meeting at the State House in Abuja. The meeting, scheduled for Thursday, June 8, at 2 p.m., comes ahead of the much-anticipated election of the leadership of the 10th National Assembly, set to take place on June 13.
The notice of the meeting was conveyed in a letter read by Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege during Wednesday’s plenary. In the letter, President Tinubu expressed his desire for all Senators-elect and House of Representatives members-elect to convene at the State House.
Although the letter did not specify the agenda of the meeting, speculation is rife that it pertains to discussions surrounding the forthcoming leadership elections. President Tinubu is reportedly throwing his weight behind Godswill Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom, and Barau Jibrin, the senator representing Kano North, for the positions of senate president and deputy senate president, respectively.
Furthermore, Tajudeen Abas from Kaduna State and Ben Kalu from Abia State are said to have the backing of President Tinubu for the roles of speaker and deputy speaker of the House of Representatives. The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has also pledged its support to these four aspirants.
In a noteworthy development, aspirants such as Abdulaziz Yari, a former governor of Zamfara State, and Orji Kalu, the Senate Chief Whip, are forming a partnership in a bid to challenge the candidacies of Akpabio and Jibrin.
The outcome of this meeting holds significant implications for the power dynamics within the National Assembly, and political observers are keenly watching the developments as the election draws near. The decisions made in the coming days will shape the leadership landscape and set the course for the 10th National Assembly.
