Politics
Tambuwal: Not An Easy Road To Travel
When the speaker of the
House of Representatives, Animu Tambuwal dumped the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on which platform he was elected and “ported” into the opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), little did he know that the move would be a long walk to his travails and politics in Nigeria.
In October 28, 2014, Tambuwal had told the House at the close of its plenary session that he decided to defect to APC, after months of speculations, because the PDP he knows is no longer democratic, hence the need for change. Many saw Tambuwal’s defection as a betrayal of the highest order which must not go unpunished, at least to teach a lesson to Tambuwal and his likes for plotting to make PDP a laughing stock.
Prior to his defection, Tambuwal was accused of betraying the decision of PDP leadership when he reportedly took away the speaker’s job meant for another House member, Mulikat Akande-Adeola from South West zone, Nigeria, The PDP had anointed Akande-Adeola for the speaker’s job, but Tambuwal connived with the then ACN members in the House and skillfully manoeuvred election of the speaker to his favour: thus denying the South West a position of political reckoning zoned to it.
Since then, Tambuwal was seen as a rebel and a man that can’t be trusted and must be watched. At the turn of events in the PDP crisis, Tambuwal was fingered in the dance game that resulted in the defection of five PDP governors and a sizeable number of legislators to the APC.
Even more noticeable is the absence of Tambuwal at PDP caucus and stakeholders’ meetings
For instances, at the PDP North West meeting that endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan for the 2015 Presidency, Tambuwal among key members of the party, were conspicuously absent. The height of Tambunal’s sin of disobedience manifested when he was also absent at the PDP national working committee (NWC) meeting that okayed Jonathan for 2015 presidential race. The speaker’s comments concerning PDP position on certain issues, policies of federal government and the Presidency were visibly unbecoming.
After a long period of his ‘hide and seek’ game, Tambuwal eventually defected to APC on October 28, 2014 with smiles of victory and the reactions that followed his action were arguably understandable. The PDP asked Tambuwal to resign as speaker or be impeached. Government followed the threat with the withdrawal of security personnel attached to the office of the speaker. The PDP also set machinery in motion to compel its caucus in the House to reconvene on Tuesday, November 4,2014, instead of December 3 which the speaker had adjourned sitting of the House.
Sensing danger of his possible impeachment if the House reconvened that date, Tambuwal and his new party, APC promptly approached the court which ordered that the status quo in the House be maintained till further notice. With that court relief, Tambuwal dared the PDP and arrived at the National Assembly complex to declare open public hearings by two committees of the House.
The speaker who personally drove his official Range Rover SUV into the premises of the complex without security personnel was, however, shielded to the venues of the sittings by APC lawmakers led by the chairman, House committee on education, Aminu Suleiman.
Against all odds, there came the commotion at the National Assembly on November 20, 2014 as the plot to stop Tambuwal from entering the Assembly complex failed. It was a dishonourable scene to behold as honourable lawmakers who were prevented from entering through the gate reportedly exchanged hot words with the security and scaled the gate to the main complex. Riot policemen also tear-gased angry lawmakers who protested against the development.
Not only did APC described the action of the police as threat to democracy, it further called for the head of the police in Nigeria. While the Senators and House members fumed, the Presidency and Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Sulieman Abba justified the deployment of security operatives, saying it was to defend the constitution and prevent a breakdown of law and order.
The senior special assistant to the President on public affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, at a news conference, said it would be wrong for the public to assume that the IG acted on orders from the Presidency when the IG, as a very senior security officer has duties to defend and enforce the law.
Abba who appeared before the House committee on Police Affairs led by Usman Bello-Kurmo to explain why the police shut the gates of the National Assembly against lawmakers and also tear-gased them, did not help matters in Tambuwal’s travails as he (IG) did not recognise Tambuwal as speaker. The IG simply addressed him as “Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal”, a title that angered members of the House committee. Abba insisted that it would be “subjudice” for him to address Tambuwal as speaker or any matter relating to him so long as such matter was in court.
Though, members boiled with anger over IG’s attitude not to use the word “speaker” when referring to Tambuwal, they stormed out of the venue angrily and stopped Bello-Kurmo from shaking hands with Abba or seeing him off to the door. And the committee resolved that the discussions would not hold as long as the IG would not accord Tambuwal his due respect.
Just when everybody perhaps was thinking that time would heal the wound in the status of Tambuwal at the House, the speaker’s erstwhile party, PDP, had filed a fresh suit seeking an order compelling the speaker to declare himself as no longer fit to represent the Kebbe/Tambuwal Federal constituency at the lower chambers of the National Assembly.
The PDP’s suit re-opened the old wound even as the suit filed by Tambuwal seeking to stop his removal and subsequent declaration of his seat vacant on account of his defection to APC is pending in court.
But in the PDP’s suit which Justice Ahmed Mohammed had granted an ex parte application by the party to commence its suit against Tambawal, the office of the speaker, Tambuwal himself and the deputy speaker, Emeka Ihedioha are respondents to the suit. Relying on section 68 (1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, the PDP argued that “Tambuwal’s defection from the party which sponsored his election to the House amounted to losing his seat.
Under Section 68 (2) of the Constitution, the ruling party stated that it was mandatory for Tambuwal as speaker of the House to declare as vacant the Kebbe/Tambuwal seat, whose occupant had defected from the party that sponsored him to the House.
In the suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/901/2014, “seeking an order of mandamus”, the PDP is praying for an order of injunction restraining Tambuwal from performing or continue to perform the function of the House speaker.
“In the alternative, an order of court compelling the 3rd respondent (Deputy Speaker Ihedioha) to declare the Kebbe/Tambuwal seat vacant by an order of mandamus in terms of relief (a) supra,” the PDP suit added.
While Tambuwal had too many legal questions arising from the PDP suit, to answer, another House member. Abidun Akinlade, added additional load to Tambuwal’s legal battle. In the suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/871/2014, Akinlade (plaintiff) apart from seeking an order declaring Tambuwal’s seat vacant on account of his defection from the PDP, also sought a “judicial interpretation” of an earlier judgment of Justice Evoh Chukwu where it held that there was no division in the PDP.
From simple interpretation, the aim of the fresh suit is to justify the PDP’s stance that the defection of Tambuwal from PDP to APC on October 28,2014 was “illegal” and in breach of section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 constitution as amended.
Akinlade’s suit assigned to Justice E.S.J.Chukwu of Court 8, however, rattled Tambuwal who promptly petitioned the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court against the suit assigned to Justice Chukwu, claiming that “the presiding judge, Justice Chukwu, ESJ, having made a pronouncement on similar issues, in similar cases, decided by him, clearly shows that he has an iron-cast judicial position or opinion in respect of suit NO. FHC/ABJ/CS/871/2014, concerning me sir, which has been assigned to him.”
Tambuwal’s petition apparently forced Justice Chukwu to withdraw from the matter and returned the case file to Chief Judge for re-assessment to another judge.
But Tambuwal’s joy in forcing Justice Chukwu to withdraw from fresh anti-Tambuwal suit was momentory as the people of Kebbe/Tambuwal Federal Constituency in Sokoto State who are being represented by the Speaker at the House, on Monday, December 1, 2014, failed in their bid to become a party in a suit filed by Tambuwal himself to stop his removal from office and a member of the House.
The consitutents of Tambuwal, instead of seeking to be joined along with the speaker as palntiffs, had sought to be joined as co-defendants, but Justice Ahmed Mohammed, in his ruling dismissed the two separate applications filed in the name of the constituents, saying they are “unmeritorious”.
One thing leads to another. About two days after the “unmeritorious” suits were thrown out, Tambuwal’s constituents were back in court where they informed the court that they had filed separate applications seeking leave to appeal against the court ruling based on what they called “mixed law and facts”.
In addition to notices of appeal, the constituents also filed applications for stay of proceedings, and the development stalled the hearing of Tambuwal’s application seeking an order of court to jail the IG for allegedly flouting an order of the court.
While the legal battles last, Tambuwal also has an electoral burden in about eight weeks time, to take a political walk to Sokoto State to actualise his dream to be the next governor under APC platform.
Though intrigues, distractions, mischief, legal fireworks, political rivalry etc may be some of the features associated with Nigeria’s democracy, the truth remains that the rain started beating Tambuwal the day he went against the wishes of his erstwhile party (PDP) and the ruling party may have vowed to bring him down. Indeed, it is not an easy road for Tambuwal to travel on his political journey.
Samuel Eleonu
Aminu Tambuwal
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun deploying non-sensitive materials to the zones as it prepares for the 2027 general election.
Acting Chairman of the commission, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, disclosed this in Abuja, yesterday at a bench-marking meeting with a delegation of Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
“Right now, all non-sensitive materials are almost ready. In fact, today as we speak here, the non-sensitive materials have been lifted to some zones now,” Gumus said.
She said the commission had completed nine of its scheduled activities and was preparing for the next phase.
“We are preparing for the election next year and we have activities lined up. So far, we have been able to complete nine activities and we are still preparing for the next level of activities,” she said.
Gumus said the commission’s leadership had just concluded a tour of the country’s six zones to assess their level of preparedness.
“The purpose was to go round the zones to see how prepared we are, assess what the zones have put in place, their challenges and what to do. We concluded last week and we can see from our tour that we are really going towards the election proper,” she said.
On Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), the acting chairman said production had been completed and distribution to the states was well advanced.
“As of today, we can say that PVCs have been produced and the first, second batches, most of the states have received them. Their PVC collection is ongoing. All those who are supposed to be the voters are supposed to receive their PVCs, and if they don’t have them, it is also another challenge,” Gumus said.
She added that capacity building was under way for staff at the headquarters and in the states, and that the procurement and deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System BVAS devices were also ongoing.
On diaspora voting, Gumus said the commission could not proceed for now because the law did not provide for it.
“Here, because we go by the law, in our electoral law, it is not included there, so we cannot go on for the diaspora voting for now until we amend the electoral law,” she said.
The acting chairman said the commission had arranged for its directors to hold an interactive session with the Kenyan team and present papers on the work of their departments.
Leading the delegation, the Kenyan High Commissioner to Nigeria, Isaac Parashina, said the IEBC team was in Nigeria to benchmark ahead of Kenya’s general election in August 2027.
He said the team was studying how Nigeria handled its diaspora population and special voting groups, as Kenya sought to widen voting rights for citizens living abroad.
“Currently we have about 12 of them who voted in the last general election, but there is intention to expand to around, I think, 26,” Parashina said, referring to the countries where Kenyans abroad vote.
He said the expansion was a constitutional requirement backed by Kenyan court rulings, and would be enforced progressively.
Parashina said Nigeria’s election, which he noted would come in two rounds, would be closely watched across Africa.
“Everyone is looking at what Nigeria will do because it is the biggest democracy in Africa. The success of Nigeria remains a great success to Kenya and indeed to the continent,” he added.
The High Commissioner thanked INEC for receiving the team despite a tight schedule and wished the commission success.
Governor Douye Diri has set a target of at least one million votes for President Bola Tinubu in Bayelsa State in the 2027 presidential election, while charging the newly inaugurated All Progressives Congress (APC) State Campaign Council to prioritise reconciliation, party unity and collective electoral mobilisation.
Governor Diri gave the charge at the inauguration of the 20-member campaign council at the APC secretariat in Yenagoa, where he warned that internal divisions could undermine the party’s efforts to secure victory for President Tinubu and other candidates at the federal and state levels.
Governor Diri urged party members who were not appointed to the council to support its activities by taking the APC’s message to communities, wards and polling units across the state.
He specifically charged the campaign team to mobilise at least one million votes for President Tinubu, arguing that Bayelsa’s voting strength had increased and should be reflected in the 2027 election results.
“I give you a target that in Bayelsa, we must not bring less than one million votes for Mr President. You are going to campaign, and you have a lot to talk about the President. He has done so much for our people,” the governor said.
He listed the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the second phase of the Nembe-Brass Road, interventions in the power sector, federal appointments for Bayelsa indigenes and the establishment of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy among the achievements the campaign should present to voters.
The governor particularly praised President Tinubu for the coastal highway project, arguing that it reflected federal attention to the development needs of coastal communities.
“No president, alive or dead, has remembered the coastal people and coastal states to say let us do this signature project from Lagos to Calabar. The first president to think about it is Bola Tinubu, and those were the demands of the Ijaw people,” he said.
Governor Diri also expressed hope that a second term for President Tinubu would provide an opportunity to advance demands for fiscal federalism, greater resource control and state policing, which he described as longstanding aspirations of the Niger Delta.
He said the President had shown indications of addressing some of the demands of younger Nigerians and argued that re-election would allow the administration to consolidate its reforms.
The governor further cautioned campaigners against personal attacks and abusive exchanges with political opponents, insisting that the APC should focus its campaign on issues, policies and achievements.
The governor’s mobilisation directive comes amid criticism from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has questioned his commitment to President Tinubu’s re-election campaign, alleging that APC campaign billboards erected across Yenagoa promote other party candidates without featuring the President.
The PDP, through its Publicity Secretary, Mr Ikaebimo Mark, said the billboards showed Governor Diri urging voters to support APC candidates for the National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections without identifying President Tinubu as the party’s presidential candidate.
Mr Mark described the omission as an indication that the governor was not fully aligned with the APC’s national leadership.
“When we said that the governor, Senator Douye Diri, is not supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we knew exactly what we were saying. Now Governor Douye Diri has erected APC campaign billboards across Bayelsa State without Tinubu’s picture. He is even afraid to associate himself with the photograph of the presidential candidate of his own party. How can this governor claim to be supporting President Tinubu?” he said.
The PDP, however, maintained that the governor’s public campaign posture raised questions about his commitment to the President’s re-election bid. Its allegation over the billboards now places the issue of the relationship between the state APC leadership and the party’s national campaign among the political questions likely to feature in Bayelsa’s preparations for 2027.
The PDP’s allegation has introduced a fresh political dimension to the APC’s preparations in Bayelsa, even as Governor Diri publicly called on party leaders and members to close ranks and mobilise support for all its candidates.
“Every person picked as a member of this campaign council was carefully scrutinised. I want to tell you that our campaign team is loaded. We parade the best candidates among all the parties in Bayelsa State, and there is no doubt about that,” he said.
He urged members to remain focused and united, warning that political opponents could exploit any divisions within the party.
“Our unity is very important because they would want to feast on our disunity. We will not give them that opportunity. Please, as you carry out this assignment, do not take your eyes off the target,” Hon. Ogoriba said.
SP Edafe explained that during the meeting, the organisers were briefed on the identified security threats and advised against embarking on an open-road procession.
Instead, the police reportedly recommended that the political activities be conducted at a designated venue where adequate security arrangements could be provided.
However, the Command alleged that the organisers disregarded the security advice and proceeded with the road procession.
Meanwhile, the Delta State Government has condemned the political violence that erupted in Asaba, the state capital, on Saturday, confirming that one person was killed while four others sustained serious injuries.
The government described the incident as unfortunate and unacceptable, warning political parties and their supporters against actions capable of threatening public peace, security and democratic participation in the state.
In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, the government reiterated its zero tolerance for political violence, intimidation and other forms of political misconduct.
Mr Aniagwu said the government had repeatedly cautioned political parties against engaging in activities capable of disrupting the peace, insisting that the incident could have been avoided if the organisers had followed security advice.
According to him, the police had advised the organisers to cancel the proposed street march and instead conduct their political campaign at a designated venue where adequate security arrangements could be provided.
He expressed concern that the advice was allegedly disregarded, resulting in a confrontation that claimed one life and left four other people seriously injured.
The government subsequently called on the police to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the violence and ensure that anyone found culpable is brought to justice.
Mr Aniagwu further warned that the state government would not tolerate politically motivated attacks against any individual, regardless of political affiliation.
He maintained that Delta State remained safe for residents and visitors, stressing that the government would not allow the actions of individuals or groups to undermine the prevailing peace and security in the state.
The government also urged political parties, their leaders and supporters to conduct their political activities within the confines of the law and demonstrate respect for human life, public order and the rights of other citizens.
The latest development follows an attack on supporters of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) during a political procession in Asaba, which reportedly left several participants injured and campaign vehicles vandalised.
The government’s condemnation comes amid growing concerns over political violence and the safety of opposition supporters as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.
-
Politics4 days agoLG CITY BOY COORDINATOR HAILS WIKE’S SUPPORT FOR ONYESOH, TINUBU
-
Politics4 days ago
DIRI INAUGURATES APC CAMPAIGN COUNCIL, SETS MILLION VOTES TARGET FOR TINUBU
-
Politics4 days agoNDC Candidate Urges Oborevwori To Probe Asaba Political Violence
-
News4 days agoArmy Recovers X Account After Hack Attempt
-
Business12 hours ago
‘NUJ, NPA’s Partnership Would Boost Port Producrivity, Economic Growth’
-
News9 hours ago
RSG Reaffirms Commitment To STEM Education, Technological Advancement
-
News9 hours agoIGP Warns Police Officers Against Partisanship …Directs Regular Engagement With Journalists
-
Politics4 days ago
2027: Oborevwori Tasks Media On Fair, Accurate Reporting