Movement For Democratic Consolidation (MDC) Drums Support For Akinremi Jagaban As Deputy Speaker Of the 10th Assembly

The quest for democratic dividends among the people of Nigeria and its regions, calls for a balance equation of power and accommodation of various interests.

It is in this wise that a group, Movement For Democratic Consolidation (southwest chapter) on Sunday canvassed full support for the candidature of Hon. Prince Olaide Akinremi Jagaban, member representing, Ibadan North Federal constituency as the Deputy Speaker, 10th House of Representatives.

MDC in a statement issued and signed by the National Coordinator, Hon. Olaleye Olusegun(Radical Brother), and the southwest coordinator, Otunba Oladokun Charles Aridunnu-Omo, after its emergency national conference held in Ibadan, Oyo State said Hon. Akinremi remain most qualify for the position of the Deputy Speaker, saying any support for Akinremi will further equate the agitation by the six geo-political zones in electing principal officers of the party in the 10th National Assembly.

The Group applauded the APC hierarchy for organizing a meeting tomorrow, Monday 13th March 2023 in view to address issues bothering leadership selection in the 10th Assembly, saying such a move is sensitive and commendable to avert any controversy in electing the Principal Officers.

This move, Olusegun said, “will also give assurance that only Members-elect with track records and competency are saddled with the responsibility of piloting affairs of National Assembly for the next four years.

“The President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his Vice-President-elect, Sen. Kassim Shettima, and the APC, National Working Committee members have shown more commitment about who become principal officers and will not disappoint Nigerians who trusted, APC with majority votes in the Presidential and National Assembly elections.”

He continued, “the best man that could co-pilot the affairs of the House of Representatives to a new and glorious beginning is Hon. Akinremi. He is a loyal, tested, and responsible party man and he had the credentials to energize APC in the Parliament which will be free from rancor with the executive arm of government and take as priority legislation that will move the nation towards a path of development.

“Although these positions have not been zoned to a particular region of the country, “it is only right and fair that the South-West produce the Deputy Speaker.
“Our party, the APC had continued to wax stronger, and we are not relenting.

Hon. Akinremi made sure he touched all the 33 local government areas in Oyo State during the last Presidential and National Assembly elections, canvassing for votes and support for Asiwaju Tinubu and Sen. Kassim Shettima not minding the risk of leaving his base to do such.

Furthermore, he went as far as setting up various support groups for Asiwaju/Shettima in the southwest region with a practical, physical presence, coupled with logistics and financial support for the campaign activities of this group across the southwest.

We assure all that Akinremi will continue to do that which will be acceptable to our party members and the electorates. In these years of unbroken democratic governance, Southwest will be delighted to have the Deputy Speakership of the House of Representatives again.

“APC in Oyo State delivered all three Senatorial and eight out of nine House of Representatives seats. We gave four hundred and forty-nine thousand eight hundred and eighty-five (449,885)votes to our dear party.

In the same vein, the southwest region gave the presidential ticket of Tinubu/Shettima Two million two hundred and seventy-nine thousand four hundred and seven (2,279,407) votes to come second to Northwest in the quantum of votes delivered.

By God’s grace, we will win massively on March 18, at the Governorship and State Assembly election.

Olusegun said this effort is to champion a mobilization support team for Akinremi’s aspiration as the Deputy Speaker, of the 10th House of Representatives, based on the conviction that other southwest Members-elect will see his candidature as vibrant and resourceful.

He further described Akinremi as morally upright and pointed out that as a ranking member in the House of Representatives, “Akinremi has sponsored bills and motions that have positively impacted on lives of average Nigerians.

He has engaged in a series of empowerment programs towards alienating suffering from his Constituents. Furthermore, he had also facilitated that hundreds of his constituents and even many others are gainful employment both in public and private establishments.

Olusegun called on NWC members, the President-elect, Vice President-elect, and newly elected Members of the House of Representatives to support the aspiration of Akinremi, saying “this is the best way to go”.