The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, on Wednesday met with the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Oyegun at the party’s secretariat in Abuja to map out strategies to forestall efforts by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to move against the speaker.
At the height of the crisis in the House, following the defection of the speaker to the APC, the leadership of the opposition party had set up a joint committee made up of members of the National Working Committee (NWC) and the party caucus in the House.
The task before the committee was to interface with the speaker and lawmakers with a view to advising the party on appropriate counter-measures to respond to PDP’s threats.
Although the agenda of the meeting was not disclosed to journalists, a party source told THISDAY that the speaker came to update the party leadership with developments in the lower legislative chamber.
Tambuwal, who drove himself to the national secretariat of the APC in the company of about a dozen of his colleagues in the House at about noon, evaded journalists’ questions on the reason for his meeting with Oyegun.
A reliable party source said the meeting dwelt mainly on the crisis at the National Assembly which has assumed a disturbing dimension with the lawmakers in the House raising 50 impeachable offenses against President Goodluck Jonathan.
It was learnt that the speaker may have used the opportunity of the meeting to seek the understanding of the leadership over his decision to enter the Sokoto governorship race.
Tambuwal, who walked through a group of anxious journalists to enter his car, resorted to jokes, saying, “Are you not tired of hearing from me. I am tired of speaking o. No, no, it is not a meeting. It is just a nominal meeting.”
When asked about his governorship ambition, the speaker retorted: “I am not campaigning here.”
On arrival at the APC secretariat, Tambuwal was received by the Deputy National Chairman, North, Senator Shuibu Lawal, until Oyegun arrived.
The discussion with Oyegun lasted for about 30 minutes before both emerged beaming with smiles but refused to speak on the subject of their discussions.
Another reason sources said might have informed Tambuwal’s visit is his governorship bid in Sokoto.
It was gathered that his entry into the race has led to intrigues with some the aspirants for the office in the state alleging that they were being tossed around with respect to the submission of completed forms to the party.
On Tuesday, one aspirant and former Attorney-General of Sokoto State, Aliyu Abubakar Sanyinne, told the press that his forms were rejected by the national secretariat of the party after a long journey to Abuja.
He also revealed that Tambuwal was a stranger to the body of “progressive” gubernatorial aspirants in the state, saying APC will be “killed” if his forms are not eventually accepted.
Alleging unwholesome practices since the forms of other aspirants were accepted some days ago, Sanyinne also said that he would seek redress by all means necessary, recalling that he had toiled to build the party in the state only for APC in Sokoto to be hijacked by a “stranger”.
“We heard that he (Tambuwal) is one of the aspirants after he decided not to go for the presidency again. That is what we have been seeing on the pages of newspaper that he is going for governorship.
“He has not been formerly welcomed in our association of aspirants. We have a forum of aspirants in Sokoto consisting the five of us. He is a foreigner. He is a stranger to us,” he said.
Speaking on Tambuwal’s meeting with the national chairman, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said the speaker only came to consult with Oyegun.
Mohammed also stated that the political battle against the PDP and presidency has shifted to the National Assembly especially in the House of Representatives.
“He is the speaker. He can see the national chairman of the party anytime. Don’t forget that the battle today has shifted to the National Assembly. The political battle today is no longer in the state; it is at the centre and at the National Assembly especially the House of Representatives.
“So normally, you are going to see the speaker in constant consultations with the national chairman and the leadership of the party,” he said.
Source: Thisday
