Hon. Chike Okafor, representing Ehime Mbani/Ihite/Obowo Federal Constituency of Imo State, officially declared his intention to run for the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives yesterday. Speaking to reporters in Abuja, Okafor confirmed that he had formally notified his party chairman of his candidacy last Thursday and expressed his readiness to vie for the top House position, emphasizing that the South East has not been fairly represented.

Okafor recalled his previous attempt in 2015 to run for the same office but was informed that he was ineligible as a non-ranking member at the time. Now, in 2019, he believes he is fully qualified for the role, citing his experience as a former senior bank manager and commissioner of finance as credentials that will enable him to effectively manage the affairs of the Ninth House of Representatives.

Addressing the importance of the South East producing the next Speaker, Okafor pointed to the significant increase in votes the All Progressives Congress (APC) received from the region, growing from 198,000 votes in 2015 to over 403,000 in 2019. He argued that this improvement demonstrates the South East’s growing support for the APC, which should be recognized through inclusivity in leadership positions.

In a show of support, the Arewa Good Governance and Transparency Initiative for Buhari has endorsed Okafor’s candidacy, describing him as the most credible candidate for the speakership. The group’s president, Abdul Bashir Abubakar, thanked Okafor for committing to protect the interests of all Nigerians in the House of Representatives, should he be elected.