*135 Others Fail To Secure Return Tickets To House Of Reps
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Two hundred and twenty five current members of the House of Representatives, including Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila and Deputy Speaker Ahmed Idris Wase, will be on the ballot for the renewal of their mandates on February 25, 2023.
Also cleared for the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are the current Majority Leader Alhassan Ado Doguwa and the Minority Leader Ndudi Elumelu.
Other principal officers of that House who made the INEC list that was recently released are Deputy House Leader, Peter Akpatason (APC, Edo); Deputy Chief Whip, Nkeruka Onyejeocha; Minority Whip, Gedion Gwani (PDP, Delta) and Adekoya Adesegun Abdulmujeed (PDP, Ogun).
However, Chief Whip of the House, Mohammed Tahir Mongunu, is out of contention for a return to the House. He will instead be seeking election into the Senate to replace the current Deputy National Chairman (North) of the APC, Senator Abubakar Kyari.
Deputy Minority Leader, Toby Okechukwu, failed to get the PDP ticket in his constituency in Enugu State.
He is one of the 135 current Reps who will not be contesting the election having failed to get their party ticket or opted for other things.
Of the 225 wishing to return to the House, 33 will be doing so on tickets other than those of the parties that sponsored their current stewardship.
Prominent among those that will not be returning to the House next year are Toby Okechukwu (PDP, Enugu), Ossai Nicholas Ossai (PDP, Delta), Nkem Uzoma Abonta (PDP, Abia), Chinyere Igwe (PDP, Rivers) and Mark Gbillah (PDP, Benue).
Gbillah it was initially thought might seek a fresh mandate on the platform of New Nigeria People’s Party. His name was however missing on the INEC list.
Some members who supposedly left their current parties to seek re-election on other parties’ platforms appear to have lost out.
Deputy Minority Leader, Toby Okechukwu, who failed to secure the PDP ticket for Aninri/Awgu/Orji River federal constituency of Enugu State, was listed as candidate of Labour Party, but he denied leaving the PDP.
He said he remained a member of the party irrespective of his failure to get its ticket for another term.
Okechukwu, in a statement, said he “will not be contesting as the candidate of the Labour Party or any other party in the said election. I remain a member of the Peoples Democratic Party.
“My position on this matter has since been conveyed to the National Chairman of the Labour Party in my letter dated 19th July, 2022.
“I deeply appreciate and can never take for granted the overwhelming goodwill of my leaders, constituents and their wish for me to be on the ballot in the 2023 general election.
“I very much understand the pains my decision is bound to cause them. However, I believe and wish to reassure them that as a constituent, I will continue to do my best and be of utmost service to them in or out of public office.
“While thanking them for their immense support and love through the years, I am supremely confident that God will remain the ultimate compass in our affairs.”
Representative Mohammed Umar Bago secured the APC governorship ticket for Niger State.
Chairman of the House Committee in Anti Corruption, Shehu Garba, who contested the Senatorial ticket for Kaduna South Senatorial district; Chairman, House Committee on National Security, Shaban Sharada who contested the governorship ticket of the APC in Kano State; Shina Peller who contested the APC Senatorial ticket in Oyo State; and Herman Hembe who contested the APC governorship ticket in Benue State, lost their bids
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