The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has stated that he has no plans to run for governor of Lagos State after his term ends in 2023.
The incumbent Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is doing well, according to the 59-year-old politician, and there is no reason to stop him from running for a second term.
Gbajabiamila spoke in an interview that aired on Channels TV on Tuesday.
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The Speaker reiterated his belief that the All Progressives Congress has what it takes to win the election in 2023. “I believe the APC has everything it needs and will do well in the next election,” he said.
When asked if he intends to run for Governor of Lagos State in the next election, Gbajabiamila responded, “No, I don’t have any such plan; I have no immediate plan; I have a job that I am doing now, a very tough job, sometimes the most difficult job, but people don’t understand.”
“I don’t want to be distracted. I am the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and I have a lot of responsibilities on my shoulders right now; anything else would be a distraction.
“As for the governorship of Lagos State, I haven’t even considered it, and why should I? The current governor of Lagos State is doing an excellent job.
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“Just because we had a one-term governor before does not mean it will be the same this time. Under the circumstances, the governor is doing a good job – these have been difficult times in the last two years, and he has done well.
“We’ll see what the future holds for everyone…
We leave everything in the hands of the person who decides everyone’s future.”
Former House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto State Governor) is among those who have left the lower house to become governors in their home states.
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Gbajabiamila has been a member of the Lagos State Assembly since 2003, representing the Surulere I Constituency. In 2019, he was elected Speaker of the House. He is a supporter of APC National Leader Bola Tinubu.
Since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, governors in the state have served two four-year terms, with the exception of Akinwunmi Ambode, who served as governor between 2015 and 2019.
Prior to Ambode’s ouster due to intra-party strife, the current Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, served as Lagos governor from 2007 to 2015, while Tinubu served as governor from 1999 to 2007.
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Despite the fact that political maneuverings have begun in earnest ahead of the 2023 elections, Sanwo-Olu, who was elected governor in 2019, has not declared his intention to run for a second term.
2023: Ex-Yobe legislator and others defect to APC
Audu Babale, a former Yobe State House of Assembly member, has defected to the All Progressives Congress in Damaturu, along with his supporters.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Babale represented the Goya/Ngeji Constituency in Fika Local Government
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by Hussaini Mai-Suleh, the Press Secretary to Yobe State Deputy Governor, “the defectors’ decision was due to the exemplary leadership of Gov. Mai Mala Buni.”
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“Babale stated that he defected to the APC due to the leadership style of Mai Mala Buni, Chairman of the APC Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee.”
According to the statement, Yobe Deputy Governor Idi Gubana “assured the new entrants of equal and fair treatment to take the party to greater heights.”
Gubana also stated that the governor is capable of bringing everyone along, regardless of political differences.
