Tambuwal: A new man in the block

Tambuwal: A new man in the block
By Sola Shittu.
Last week the intrigues continued on the race for the Speaker of the House of Representatives. After it was zoned to the South West by the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Muraina Ajibola and Mulikat Akande-Adeola emerged in the race but the South West caucus of the PDP adopted Muraina as the chosen candidate of the zone leaving Mulikat in the cold to fight her battle alone with a slim support from the presidency perceived to be coming from the corner of the first lady, Patience Jonathan. But a new twist was added to the race by another group spearheaded by the North West seeking the Tambuwal/Ihedioha ticket as Speaker and Deputy Speaker for the House. Both Aminu Tambuwal and Emeka Ihedioha are the Deputy Whip and the Chief Whip of the House. Although the idea was not a new one but it was not until, Farouk Lawan, a Kano PDP lawmaker decided to step down for Aminu Waziri Tambuwal from Sokoto that the group began to take their campaign serious. Last week they joined Muraina Ajibola and Mulikat Akande-Adeola in chattering a private aircraft to tour the six geo-political zone venue of the just concluded retreat for elected lawmakers. The Tambuwal group is undoubtedly parading an intimidating array of supporters and big wigs in the House leadership as well as over 150 members of the first timer lawmakers. As a matter of fact, the fresh lawmakers has a representative in the person of Honourable Kumo from Gombe among the campaigners of Tambuwal. Let’s look at the Tambuwal team, Honourable Leo Ogor, Chairman House Committee on ..., John Enoh, Chairman House committee on Finance, former Deputy Minority leader and now Minority Whip, Honourable Sumaila Kawu, chairman house Committee on Public Petition, Honourable CID Maduabum among others. these lawmakers among others form the engine room of Tambuwal and there was no doubting the fact that the Deputy Speaker, Bayero Nafada has a hand in this project even though he was not seen with them but those close to Nafada are clearly in this project. They said they are not out to confront anybody but are going to engage government in the process of ensuring that the House produce the right leadership which is the choice of members. Sincerely speaking, among all the contestants so far, Tambuwal presents the most intimidating profile as a third term legislator who has worked closely with four speakers, Lion King Na’aba, Aminu Masari, Patricia Etteh and Dimeji Bankole. Indeed there is a leadership challenge in the House and the urgent need to address this is not in question. However the overbearing influence of the party and the presidency in the past has been the undoing of the House. At the same time, it quickly comes to mind that even after the exit of Etteh and the House had an opportunity to put their own man there in the person of Bankole, the question is does the attempt solve the problem in the house? It was obvious and too glaring that the House leadership was unable to manage the success of the Integrity Group after the election of Bankole. The group obviously immediately went to sleep like NADECO after the exit of military reign. As soon as they got themselves into office, they shared the committee portfolios among themselves and forgot the crucial role of calling the Speaker to order when stepping out of his boundary. Sincerely yours, they all goofed and share in the guilt of Bankole, however since they have realised their mistake and have made up their mind to correct it, I am of the mind that it is only a catalyst from a system that can destroy that system, the solution actually lies in every system. Indeed those who have successfully managed Bankole may provide the answer to the mess in the House right now if they are serious about it.
But there is an enemy in the House for Tambuwal in another group who has insisted that he who must come for the office of the speaker and indeed the leadership of the house must come with competence and integrity. In particular, the group is insisting that no member of the present crop of leadership in the House will be allowed to hold office because they want a clean departure from the past. The group have gathered up to seventy signatures of members who are committed to this course. “Our interest is to protect democracy, because it is democracy that brought all of us here. If you look at where Nigeria is coming from you will know that we have a responsibility to ensure that democracy is a success not only in Nigeria but the entire African continent.
“The whole world is looking up to this country to provide the leadership direction for the continent. If we fail, we would have disappointed our generation and the generation unborn and of course, the entire black race will surely not forgive us”, said the group.
Tambuwal is also having a big challenge from the presidency, particularly from the office of the vice president who sees the move by the Tambuwal group as an attempt to rubbish the office of the Vice President who is also from the North West. And again will this move not rubbish the long established zoning policy of the PDP? But can we jettison competency for zoning? Yet the Tambuwal group has perfected their plans, as they successfully adopted the open secret ballot voting pattern for the election of the speaker last week. Subsequent attempt by Ita Enang and some others to reverse the motion the following day proved abortive. As it is now, the speed at which event are unfolding in the House over the speakership race is very unpredictable and the truth is the chess table is open to both the outside and the inside power brokers in the House. The question is who will prevail, the House, the Tambuwal, the PDP or the presidency? June 7th is not too far to wait for.
The new song in the Tambuwal group is that Nigeria is ripe to chat a new course in the appointment of a round peg for a round role and if the revolution can start from the House and in this Speakership race then so be it.
END