Arewa Youth Consultative Forum backs Hon Emeka Nwajiuba for House of Reps speaker

MEMBERS of the  Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) have endorsed Hon Emeka Nwajiuba representing Ehimembano/Ihitte/Uboma/Obowo/Okigwe South Federal Constituency of Imo State as their candidate for speaker of the House of Representatives.

On May 29, the current National Assembly's life will end and the race to elect new principal officers will begin. Key among these are the positions of senate president and speaker of the House of representatives, which will be decided on June 10 when the ninth National Assembly holds its inaugural session.

With many members of the National Assembly of the view that the position of speaker should go to the southeast geo-political zone, Hon Nwajiuba, is seen as the front runner of the candidates from the zone. Previously, a member of the All progressives Congress, Hon Nwajiuba had to defect to the Accord Party to get elected due to disagreements between himself and Governor Rochas Okorocha.

Alhaji Yerima Shettima, the AYCF national president, said the group’s support was purely in the interest of national stability, fairness and balance towards their neighbours in the southeast. He further explained that one of the best ways to strengthen national unity and cohesion was lending a hand of support and friendship across the nation.

He added that Hon Nwajiuba is a broad-minded politician with several years of experience in legal work, administration and lawmaking. Alhaji Shettima noted that Hon Nwajiuba had made a significant impact when he was in the House of Reps between 1999 and 2003, representing Okigwe South Federal Constituency of Imo State.

“He performed wonderfully as chairman of the House Committee on Land and Housing. While he was away gunning for governorship seat between 2003, 2007 and 2011, he lost by a narrow margin of votes because of acceptability.

“Beyond being a professional lawyer with a Master’s Degree and PhD in Law, he served diligently as secretary of the Constitution Drafting Committee that produced the APC itself. Hon Nwajiuba will be simply unbeatable," Alhaji Shettima added.

He went on to say that the AYCF believed in having young breed of politicians in strategic positions of leadership at the level of the higher law-making body in the country. Alhaji Shettima also noted that on a scale of competence, the likes of Hon Nwajiuba have all it takes to launch Nigeria into the digital world and help the law-making business break away from the analogue world.

Alhaji Shettima also stressed that if the current race for the ninth House of Representatives speakership would be based on a candidate that is naturally on consistent and a nationalist. Hon Nwajiuba will likely be up against Hon Femi Gbajabiamila of Lagos State and Hon Nkeiruka Onyejeocha from Abia State.