Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has not come out to either deny or confirm speculations that he is eyeing the highest office in the land, the presidency. All the same, RUTH CHOJI writes that feelers from a section of the Lower Chamber and some parts of the North indicate that the Sokoto-born politician could be considering the idea, but cautiously. For the north, two issues are very paramount. One is that power should shift to the region. Secondly, upon the shift the region bears in mind the need to ensure that the younger generation of politicians mount the saddle. Gap-tooted former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida (retired) had steered the debate for a younger generation of northern leaders when he openly told Tambuwal ‘to consider running for the presidency’. IBB, as Babangida is fondly called, was seen to have spoken the mind of a section of the north that the younger ones should take the centre stage. IBB bared his mind at the 2013 Vanguard Man of Year Award that was bestowed on Tambuwal. While the PDP is still quivers about the rebellion of the PDP majority in the House of Representatives that threw up Tambulwal as speaker against the party’s anointed, (Hon) Mrs Mulikat Adeola-Akande, the latest development has further dampened the already gloomy situation at the Wadata Plaza Headquarters of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party(PDP). Most House members from the north, regardless of party affiliation have come out boldly to declare their support for the speaker amidst call from some of their south/south colleagues for caution. LEADERSHIP Sunday carried out a random survey, sizing some federal lawmakers on Tambuwal’s perceived ambition. Hon. Lawal Yahaya Gumau who represents Toro Federal Constituency of Bauchi state was the first to bare his mind on Tambuwal. “I want to assure you that anybody that can preside over the National Assembly, be it speaker or senate president, 360 people in the house and stay with them in peace like Tambuwal is doing; such a person can rule Nigeria. “Tambuwal is everybody’s speaker; even members of the south/south cannot complain that he hasn’t taken issues of their region seriously. There has never been a speaker in this country that treats opposition equally like Tambuwal because he believes that both the opposition and PDP voted him into office. “This is what we want to see, a president who will agree that those who did not vote for him are Nigerians and they have a share in the countries resources and they have a right for projects to be done for them. So if Tambuwal should contest, I will be the first to vote for him and I am sure other members will do the same. I don’t belong to PDP and I don’t pray that he contest under PDP, but even if he does, I will support him’. For Hon Yusuf Manu Swa (Balanga/Biliri Federal Constituency of Gombe state), whether Tambuwal would contest or not is constitutional, saying, the Speaker is entitled to contest any position. ‘He is the speaker of over three hundred and sixty members from all over the country. So if he decides to contest, that is his business. I Yusuf Manu Swa will support him because he won’t carry everything to Sokoto, he will serve the whole nation’. But some of the members have called for restrain and one of them is Hon. Kaka Kyari Gujbawu from Maiduguri Federal Constituency of Bornu state. He said; “Even though Hon Tambulwa is a good friend and by the grace of Allah his leader and party compatriot, and that he no doubt has a promising political career ahead of him, I will only urge him to be mindful of being used and dumped by senior political parasites masquerading as messiahs’. “For the enduring political interest of the north, I will urged my leaders to sustain and consolidate on the 50 years of strategic political alliance between the north and south/south bequeathed to us by our political and founding fathers, an alliance that has helped in sustaining a bond across the Niger’ Another PDP lawmaker from the north/east who chose to remain anonymous stated that,’ we in the house will support the speaker. That is what Nigeria need now; a detribalised, young and intelligent man that can bring peace and unity to this nation. I can assure you that most of the PDP members are also in support to the speaker and at the right time, we will all come out to declare it’. But a member from the south/south who also didn’t want his name in print chose to defers by stating that ‘being a speaker of 360 members who have the same mandate and are working towards the same vision is different from leading a whole nation like Nigeria. “The speaker cannot rule Nigeria because he doesn’t have the structure and if it is people like IBB that will be behind him, people who have ruled this nation and left us where we are right now, then he is going to fail even if he manages to win the elections”, he said. But Polycarp Edward, an Abuja based politician and public analyst who spoke with LEADERSHIP on Tambuwal’s ambition said, the Speaker only needs encouragement. “This is the beauty of democracy that anybody that is qualified can contest; if the speaker thinks he can do it, then he should contest. He can only be encouraged but it is the electorate that will decide who will win, not just a few privileged persons. I really don’t see any reason why the PDP should be jittery. If the president performs well, he will not have to campaign, Nigerians will automatically clamour for him and he will come back. It is time we moved from regional, religious and tribal politics, Nigeria need a good leader that has vision, not a tribal or regional president, Polycarp said’. However, the 47 year Tambuwal who polled 252 votes in a landslide victory over Hon. Adeola, is yet to declare his intention and most analysts are of the opinion that, perhaps, he is making consultations and weighing his options. While the opposition are busy trying to sway him to their camp, the ruling party is also strategising to see that it resolves its internal crises ahead of 2015. - See more at: leadership.ng/news/070713/tambuwal-and-road-2015-presidency#sthash.2oNeOoHw.dpuf
Posted on: Sun, 07 Jul 2013 06:42:06 +0000
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