Barring any last minute change, the nationwide “consultations” undertaken by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Aminu Tambuwal, to decide his next political direction may finally be revealed, as impeccable sources close to the speaker said he may defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday when the House resumes plenary.
Tambuwal had declared months back, when speculation became rife that he was gunning for either the governorship of his state or the presidency under the APC, that, “I am still consulting my primary constituency on these crucial matters which affect me, Sokoto State and Nigeria generally. I will come back and engage my people. All politics is local and I will make my final stand on these topical issues known to Nigerians at the most appropriate time”. continue....
However, the need for him to now make his political plan known is largely influenced by the fact that the APC’s timetable for it presidential primaries has been fixed for December 2, leading to the February 14 general elections. His defection this week is to give him enough time to declare, pick his form, and mobilise his structure.
According to the APC timetable (which might be modified), the expression of interest forms for all offices will go on sale from October 6. Those interested in seeking the party’s nomination to stand in the presidential, governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives and Houses of Assembly elections are expected to pick their forms between October 6 and 19.
The sale of nomination forms to presidential aspirants will commence on October 20 and end on November 6, while screening of presidential aspirants is slated to take place between November 10 and 13, and November 14 and 15 will be for appeals. The party’s national convention, where the presidential candidate will be picked, holds on December 2.
The sale of nomination forms to those interested in the governorship race is to take place between October 20 and November 9. Screening of aspirants will hold as from November 10 to 12, while appeals are slated to take place between November 13 and 14. The governorship primaries are slated for November 15, while appeals emanating from the primaries will be entertained from November 18 to 22.
The speaker’s defection this week is said to have the full backing of key members of both the House and Senate who embraced the APC when seven PDP governors staged a walkout in August during a special convention of the PDP and five subsequently defected to the APC.
This was because his emergence as speakers was greatly aided by those members of the House who were not comfortable with the dominating influence the PDP was exerting in the House.
His expected defection is also said to have the full backing of his governor, Aliyu Wamakko, who was one of the five governors that defected to the APC. The fact that the speaker maintained a robust relationship with his governor lent credence to the rosy relationship between them, this culminated in him being turbaned as the Mutawallen Sokoto.
Only recently, posters of the speaker have flooded some parts of Abuja and some few northern states, declaring his intention to bid for the presidency. But his media aide, Mallam Imam Imam, had denied the rumoured bid, saying, “Let it be known that since the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has not given the go-ahead for those interested in elective positions to start mobilisation, it is inappropriate for any person or group to print campaign posters and have them placed in strategic locations in any part of the country.”
Apart from former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who is alleged to be solidly behind the presidential aspiration of the speaker, some governors under the APC banner are said to have given him their words to rally behind him.
But LEADERSHIP Sunday learned that even though the PDP currently enjoys a slim majority in the House, the speaker may still not be able to hold onto his position when he eventually defects. This, according to LEADERSHIP Sunday’s investigations, is because some of the members in the House, who are said to have concluded plans to defect with him, might not do it because of the proximity of the time for election.
When LEADERSHIP Sunday sought the opinion of the special adviser on media to the speaker, he said, “We have consistently said that the speaker is still consulting on what his political move would be, and that whenever that consultation is concluded, Nigerians will know. I really can’t say what he will do on Tuesday; only that Nigerians will know anytime he has finished his consultations.”
Source: Leadership
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