The preferred candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Tajudeen Abbas on Tuesday emerged Speaker after polling 353 votes out of the 359 votes cast.
Abbas was declared winner of the contest at exactly 11.44 am by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Sani Magaji Tambuwal.
The immediate past spokesman of the House, Benjamin Kalu, emerged unopposed as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Shouts of “TJ, TJ, TJ” rented the air as soon as Abbas was declared winner by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Sani Magaji Tambuwal.
The two other contestants for the position were immediate past Deputy Speaker, Hon Ahmed Idris Wase and Hon Aminu Jaji.
The election of the Speaker was conducted using the open ballot system with members calling out the name of the person they intended voting for.
The immediate past Majority Leader, Hon AlHassan Ado Doguwa (APC, Kano) nominated Tajudeen Abbas to contest the position and was seconded by Hon. Nnolim Nnaji (PDP, Enugu).
Shout of “TJ, TJ” rented the air after the nomination too.
Tijani Kayode Ibrahim (APC, Kwara) nominated Ahmed Idris Wase to contest against Abbas and was seconded by Ali Mohammed Abdulmumin (APC, Nasarawa).
Hon. Ahmed Idris Doro (Katsina) nominated Aminu Sani Jaji and seconded by Mohammed Ibrahim (Katsina).
The member who died immediately after the election, Isma’ila Yushua Maihanchi, was the only member that did not vote. He was from Taraba State.
Kalu was nominated by Babajimi Benson from Lagos State and seconded by Khadijat Bukar Abba Ibrahim from Yobe state.
Kalu is also the APC endorsed candidate for the position.
After calling for more nominations with none forthcoming, the Clerk to the National Assembly declared Kalu elected as Deputy Speaker.
Immediate past Speaker and Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, who took part in the election, handed over his notes to Abbas.
Gbajabiamila said this was to help the new Speaker in discharging his responsibility effectively.
He expressed confidence in Abbas to do a good job.
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