But she is sure to face a stiff hurdle from her colleagues from the South-East and many prominent members of the House from the North.
While the legislators from the South-East insisted on Monday that their zone must produce either the Speaker of the House or the President of the Senate, those from the North argued that they would not back anyone who emerged a candidate on the basis of zoning.
THE PUNCH learnt early on Monday that the contending camps in the House had received signals from the Presidency indicating that Adeola had its backing.
The biggest factor in favour of the returnee Peoples Democratic Party member from Oyo State is said to be the desire of the party and the Presidency to balance the religious divide in the country.
An influential member of the House from the South-South, who is close to the Presidency, confided in our correspondent in Abuja that besides the desire of the Presidency and the PDP to retain the position in the South-West, “there is the big issue of balancing the religious divide.”
The development is said to have knocked out the South-East from the race.
The legislator said, “The way things stand right now, the President, who is from the South-South is a Christian; the President of the Senate will be retained in the North-Central. Senator David Mark, who is likely to continue in office, is also a Christian.
“Zoning the number four position (Speaker) to the South-East, will lead to the emergence of another Christian.
“So, part of the calculations working for Adeola is the religious factor and the fact that many lawmakers appear to be comfortable with her than any other returning lawmaker from the South-West. Adeola is a Muslim.”
When her views were sought on the rumoured presidential backing for her, Adeola said she could not immediately respond because she was “in a noisy place” in Lagos.
However, the South-East Caucus members in the House disagreed with the reasons cited for the Presidency’s alleged backing for Adeola, particularly the religious factor.
They pointed out that they had last week insisted that the South-East would not accept any position outside the President of the Senate or the Speaker of the House.
“In our communique last week, we clarified this religious issue and why we do not think that it should be used as factor in allocating political positions,” one of them told THE PUNCH.
Part of the communique reads, “The argument about religious balancing is not tenable, historically. We may recall that in the Second Republic, while the President (Alhaji Shehu Shagari) was a Muslim, the Vice-President, Senate President and Speaker were all Christians. Hell was not let loose.
“During the 1993 presidential elections, the South-East put its weight behind the Social Democratic Party presidential candidate, Chief MKO Abiola, and his running mate, Alhaji Babagana Kingibe, who were both Muslims.
“In 2007, the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, and the Speaker (former) of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Patricia Etteh, were Christians.
“In fact, in the current legislature, both the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives are Muslims.
“Religion has never been an issue. How has it now crept in surreptitiously?”
Also on Monday, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, reacted to the reported zoning of the speakership to the South-West.
It also insisted hat the South-East must be given the Speakership or the Senate Presidency.
The President of the organisation, Ambassador Ralph Uwechue, said in Abuja that any office less than the speakership would not be commensurate with the support Jonathan and the PDP got in the South-East during the general elections.
He said, “The PDP as a political party got total support from Igboland. The long and short is that we want something from the National Assembly: it is either Senate President or the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“We want a position that is commensurate with the PDP’s success in the zone, a just position; a position that is fair to the Igbo, to Nigerians and to everybody.”
As Uwechue spoke, findings showed that many influential members of the House from the North were kicking against Adeola’s choice by the Presidency.
The Northern lawmakers had reportedly resolved at a meeting in Abuja on Saturday not to back any aspirant on the basis of zoning.
Investigations revealed that the group held to the argument that Jonathan had “killed and buried zoning by contesting for the Presidency at a time he knew that it was the turn of the North to have it.”
Insiders confided in our correspondent that the group was demanding that the contest for the speakership should be thrown open to all eligible persons, irrespective of their zones of origin.
The Northern legislators are said to be banking on their majority number in the House across party lines to clinch the seat if it is thrown open.
“Nothing is certain for now; there is even fear of revolt in the House if it becomes obvious that a particular candidate is about to be imposed on the House.
“People are calling for an open contest”, one of them told our correspondent on Monday.
One of the names being touted for the open contest is the Deputy Whip of the House, Mr. Aminu Waziri-Tambuwal, a four-timer (1999 till date) from Sokoto State.
But, when our correspondent contacted him for comments on Monday, Waziri-Tambuwal denied knowledge of the existence of the northern pressure group.
He said, “I am not aware of any northern group that is pursuing an agenda for the position of Speaker.
“I do know that I am in support of stability in the House and any decision that will make us to work for the interest of Nigerians.”
When asked whether he was aware that some persons were suggesting his him for the position, he replied, “It was you who said that my name was being touted. “That means that I am not the one who is putting my name forward.”
By John Ameh, Abuja Courtesy Of: Punch
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