As the battle for the Speakership of the incoming 8th House of
Representatives intensifies, a group under the aegis of Federation of
Middle Belt People (FMBP), has thrown its weight behind the aspiration
of Hon. Dogara Yakubu as the Speaker of the 8th session.

The group said Hon. Yakubu, who is Sayawa by tribe and representing
Dass/Tafawa Balewa/Bogoro Federal constituency represents the desire
of the minority in the North for self determination.

In a statement made available to journalists, Wednesday, signed by the
Coordinator of the group, Mr. Manasseh Watyil, and supported by
representatives of the states in the Middle Belt region, FMBP said
that in the spirit of fair play, equity and justice, which the law
maker represents, he should be elected as the speaker since the post
has been zoned to the North Eastern region.

The statement reads, “We in the Middle Belt of Nigeria re throwing our
weight behind Hon. Barrister Dogara Yakubu, member representing
Dass/Tafawa Balewa/Bogoro Federal Constituency for the Speakership of
the 8th National Assembly.

In the spirit of fair play, equity, and justice, which our dynamic
president-elect is known for, Yakubu, a Sayawa by tribe of North
Eastern region of Nigeria representing the minority tribes of the
Middle Belt zone where ideally the speakership should be zone for the
flowing reasons.

“Records have shown that since our democratization process, the
speaker has been enjoyed by the South West where the present Vice
President comes from; the speakership jumped from South West to the
North West where the president-elect and the immediate past speaker,
Mr. Aminu Tambuwal are from.

The statement added that since the North central zone is enjoying the
position of the senate president while the outgoing president is from
the South-south, it is imperative that the post of the next speaker
should be from the North East.

FMBP said that more so Yakubu is a legal practitione and experienced
legislator, stressing that any group advocating for the position
outside the North East is doing a disservice to the country.

The statement further said, “In the same vein, Hon Dogara Yakubu is a
lawyer nd has been in the lower chambers for a reasonable period of
time as such has the experience of legislation, more so it is only the
zone that has not benefitted from the position.

While refuting a publication attributing some negative attributes to
the lawmaker, the group said that those describing him as arrogant and
disrespectful only want to give a dog a bad name in order to hang it.

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Reps Speakership: Middle Belt Group Drums Supports for Dogara