10th NASS: Abia’s Benjamin Kalu emerges Deputy Speaker unopposed
Benjamin Kalu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) anointed lawmaker representing Bende Federal Constituency in Abia state, has emerged as the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives for the 10th National Assembly.
Kalu emerged unopposed at the inauguration of the 10th House of Representatives on Tuesday in Abuja.
The Abia lawmaker was sworn in at 12:21pm, to take over from the Deputy Speaker of the 9th National Assembly, Idris Wase.
The emergence of Kalu followed the election of a member from Zaria Federal Constituency in Kaduna State, Tajudeen Abbas as Speaker of the Green Chamber, after defeating his closest rivals, Wase and Aminu Jaji in a voice vote on Tuesday at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
Abbas scored 352 votes of the total 359 votes cast while Jaji and Wase polled three votes each.
It could be recalled that the ruling APC secured over 170 of the 360 seats in the green chamber, in the just concluded general elections, the highest by any party. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came second with over 100 seats, the Labour Party (LP) with over 35 seats, the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) with about 20.
