Speakership Battle: Female lawmaker, Onuoha steps into ring, talks tough

Miriam Onuoha, a lawmaker representing the Okigwe North Federal Constituency of Imo State at the House of Representatives has officially joined the Speakership race.

Onuoha announced her intention in Abuja on Wednesday during a press conference, asking the men in the race to cede the seat to her.

“Again, the issues of regional balancing in the Nation’s leadership equation is also another veritable national challenge that my election to the speakership of the House of Representatives will address and resolve simultaneously in the interest of National Unity, Peace and inclusion,” she said.

She stated that she is representing women and youths in Nigeria and urged her party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) to zone the seat to her.

The lawmaker lamented the marginalization of women and promised to “diplomatically dialogue with the president-elect Bola Tinubu” on improving the number of women in governance.

She added that “there is nothing special in being the speaker”, likening the position to “Class Captain” of schools.

Onuoha will join a long list of other lawmakers that have declared interest to contest for the position.

Newsmen reported that Deputy Speaker, Idris Wase, Yusuf Gagdi, Ben Kalu, Muktar Betara and several others have also joined the race.