With counting still on-going at 5.47 p.m., Femi Gbajabiamila is the run-away winner of the coveted seat of Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives. He had clearly crossed the 179 votes required of the 358 valid votes.
Members erupted into noisy celebration and had to be calmed down by other colleagues as Clerk of the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani Omolori struggled to keep the noise down.
Gbajabiamila, representing Surulere 1 Federal Constituency (Lagos) was Majority Leader in the 8th House of Representatives, after losing the seat of Speaker in 2015. This time, at the final count of votes at 6.10 p.m., he garnered 283 votes. His rival Umar Mohammed Bago from Chachanga Federal Constituency (Niger State) scored 76 votes. One vote was invalid.
Hon. Ahmed Wase, from Wase Federal Constituency (Plateau State), was returned unopposed as Deputy Speaker to the delight of most members, apparently having waited for over eight hours.