By Shola Abayomi
The outgoing Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara has denied reports in some newspapers claiming he has joined the race for the Speakership of the 9th Assembly.
A statement signed by Dogara’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Turaki Hassan, described the so-called interest by Mr. Dogara to retain the seat he currently occupies as “fake news being pushed and circulated by mischief makers and enemies of progress who want to create confusion in order to benefit and feast on it.”
The statement added that Speaker Dogara would have declared openly if he was interested in contesting the position, just as he did in 2015.
“The Rt. Hon. Speaker has always spoken for himself and would not be engaged in childish hide and seek games. When he contested in 2015 he openly sought for support and openly canvassed for votes and there is nothing stopping him from doing so now if that were the case.
We have official channels of communication and we have not issued any statement to that effect,” the statement further clarified.
Turaki therefore, on behalf of his principal, requests members of the public to disregard the reports.