Addressing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, Onyejeocha urged the party to have a rethink and zone the speakership to the south-east.
Nkeiruka Onyejeocha
Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, a member of the house of representatives, has urged Femi Gbajabiamila, majority leader of the house, to step down for her in the race for speakership.
The Abia lawmaker appealed to Gbajabiamila to “make due sacrifice” by giving up on his ambition to become speaker “for Nigeria to move forward.”
Onyejeocha and Gbajabiamila are both of the All Progressives Congress (APC) which is expected to produce the next crop of national assembly leaders having emerged the majority party in the two chambers.
Gbajabiamila has, however, been endorsed by the leadership of the party.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, Onyejeocha urged the party to have a rethink and zone the speakership to the south-east.
The fourth-term lawmaker said while she respects the party’s decision, Gbajabiamila should “as a leader pay the sacrifice” for Nigeria to get to the next level.
“I respect my party chairman and what the party has said it intends to do but I am appealing to them, it is not yet late to withdraw their decision and include a woman from the two geo-political zones left out in 2015,” she said.