G

olkar Party chairman Setya Novanto has cleared his way toward regaining his post as House of Representatives speaker after securing permission from the party’s advisory board.

“The advisory board and the central executive board have agreed on the replacement of Ade [Komarudin] as House speaker by Setya,” said advisory board chairman Aburizal Bakrie, who is also a former party chairman, on Monday, after a two-hour talk with Setya.

Previously, Aburizal had signaled his objection to Setya’s return to his old post, which the latter attained immediately after the 2014 election.

Aburizal challenged him to choose one of the posts, either Golkar chief or House Speaker, over concerns that he could not handle two tough jobs.

Aburizal said that Setya had assured him that he was ready to take on the two important positions, and he had changed his stance.

“I will take all of the responsibility, because the advisory board has put its trust in me,” Setya said. The party is now mulling various positions to be offered to the current speaker Ade, Setya’s rival for the party chairmanship earlier this year.

Senior Golkar politician Yorrys Raweyai said the party had considered new positions for Ade, and the advisory and central executive boards would soon invite Ade to discuss the options.

“The positions offered could be a ministry, an ambassadorship, or other top posts at the BPK [Supreme Audit Agency] or the OJK [Financial Services Authority],” Yorrys said.

“It’s up to [Ade]. We will fight for him wherever he is willing to serve the country.”