Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, yesterday, attributed his emergence despite the stiff opposition from his All Progressives Congress, APC, party to the backing of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III.

Dogara defeated his opponent, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, who was the party’s preferred candidate in the June 9 House of Representatives speakership election.

Speaking at a thanksgiving service held in his honour at the Church of Christ in all Nations (COCIN), Tafawa Balewa, Bauchi State, Dogara attributed his victory to the mercies of God, the goodwill of the Sultanate, his constituents, the entire state and other parts of the country.

According to him, “this victory that we celebrate here today won’t have been possible without God, the Sultanate and others across the country.

“For us who are Christian minorities in the North, we should acknowledge that this victory we are celebrating here today was made possible by the intervention of the Sultan and others. We should know that there is new thinking in the North.

“We owe it a duty to make sure we unite our own part of the country and other parts of the country. My emergence as Speaker is as a result of the support of all major tribes of Nigeria and all faiths in Nigeria.”

While calling on politicians and stakeholders in the Nigeria project to seek divine assistance in running the country, Dogara reiterated that there could be no solutions to the myriad of problems dogging the country without God’s help.

The speaker was accompanied to the service by more than 20 members of the House of Representatives across political party lines and the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund(TETFUND), Prof. Suleiman Elias Bogoro.

Other dignitaries at the thanksgiving were a former Deputy Governor of Plateau State, Mrs. Paulen Tallen and ex-members of the Green Chamber.

•Adapted from Vanguard. Photo shows Speaker Dogara.