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Tag: Aminu Tambuwal

  • Tambuwal loses 252 aides to APC

    In what appears like a political earthquake,  252 Special advisers and Special assistants appointed by Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state have resigned  their appointments.

    And they have returned to the All Progressives Congress, instead of working under a PDP government.

    Alhaji Ibrahim Haske, a special adviser to the renegade governor and  spokesman for all the aides, announced this  at a news conference  in Sokoto on Sunday.

    He said their decision followed  Gov. Tambuwal’s defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    “Our appointment is based on the position that APC is the political party governing the state and now that the government belongs to PDP, we have no option other than to resign.

    “We are bonafide members of APC and our position has always remained same; we therefore resign voluntarily from the PDP government ,” Haske said.

    Haske, who was a former Sokoto South Local Government Chairman, further explained the decision was based on their desire to support APC to deliver on its mandate  after the  2019 general elections.

    Alhaji Abdullahi Sokoto, also a special adviser to Tambuwal,  restated the  former aides’  commitment and dedication toward ensuring the success of APC across the state.

    Read also: You can’t return Imo to PDP, Okorocha replies Atiku

    “We will continue to remain in our party APC and as such we sacrifice our political appointments to clarify people’s doubt and show our stand on party supremacy.”

    He restated the group’s loyalty and support to the policies and programme of the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership of APC.

    In his reaction, the APC Chairman in the state, Alhaji Sadiq Achida, commended the former aides  to  Gov. Tambuwal for their demonstration of  loyalty to the party.

    He said, “the sacrifice of the Special advisers is highly recommended and will surely be rewarded by the people and APC in future.”

  • ‘Tambuwal should account for bailout funds’

    A partnership of groups of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Sokoto State has insisted that defecting Governor Aminu Tambuwal should account for the bailout funds received from the federal government.

    The group recounted that the governor received various sums of money to ameliorate the problems in the state.

    “On behalf of APC support groups, we demanded Governor Tambuwal to account for N18.3 billion Paris Club refund, N38.7 billion bailout funds, N10.5 billion salary/pension arrears, N8.7 billion CBN/FGN agric interventions fund and N2.2 billion ecological funds from federal government’’.

    The Elders Committee of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Sokoto state which disowned Governor Aminu Tambuwal’s defection to opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said the governor should account for the money.

    Also recounting the assistance the state has received from President Muhammadu Buhari, the elders committee noted that the administration constructed Runjin Sambo-University road in Sokoto metropolis.

    “Buhari’s government executed Maradi junction border road, Sokoto-Tambuwal-Jega road, Shagari Dam project, establishment of 8 Divisions of Nigerian Army and ecological project among others,’’ the Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Bello Gada, said.

    Gada explained that all groups have joint partnerships for the success of President Buhari and APC in 2019 elections.

    Prof. Lawal Bashar, from APC Adalci Buhari Sak Organization, also alleged that Tambuwal had crippled local government administrations in Sokoto state as they were not doing anything during his tenure and workers salary were not being paid at when due.

    Bashar described the administration as the worst in the history of the state and stressed that the present administrations in the nearby states of Katsina, Kebbi and Zamfara states were far better.

    He added that governor’s exit from APC had become a relief and noted that APC would surely win all elective positions in 2019 elections.

  • Can Saraki remain Senate President?

    The political space is dominated by the debate over the propriety of Senate President Bukola Saraki retaining his position after his defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In this report by ERIC IKHILAE, legal experts suggest the way out.

    The ritual of mass defection by politicians before a general election has again taken the centre stage. Last week, there was a wave of defections from the ruling All Progressives Party (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

    It brought back the memory of a similar defection from the then ruling PDP to the then opposition APC before the 2015 general election.

    Incidentally, the major players in both cases are the same. Senate President Bukola Saraki and then House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal (now Sokoto State Governor) featured prominently as they led the 2015 defection from the PDP to APC, arguing that their interests were not well served. Today, they have returned to the PDP, singing a similar tune.

    The latest defection, as was the case in 2015, has again thrown up some issues requiring to be properly addressed, if the nation is to build a sustainable and virile democracy that thrives on globally – established tenets of democratic governance.

    Key among these issues is the need for a clear-cut determination of the right of a political office holder to defect from a party to another, and the need to also spell out what the political future of a defecting occupier of a political office should be.

    Many argue that, while the question on the right to defect has been addressed by the Constitution and the various decisions of the Supreme Court in many cases, the question about the political future of a defecting political office holder has remained unaddressed.

    The lack of precedent on how to deal with the political future of a defecting politician and the absence of a constitutional provision to that effect have now left the APC in a dilemma on how to confront the negative effect of Saraki’s defection to the PDP, with the crown of the Senate President safely ensconced on his head.

    To many, the situation seems worse with the defection of the leader of the National Assembly to an opposition party, even though the APC was hardly in control of the Legislative arm before now, even when it paraded the majority of members, including Saraki.

    Besides the right of every citizen to associate, as granted under Section 40 of the Constitution, the law also recognises, in Section 68(1)(g), the right of a political office holder, and, in this case, a legislator, to defect to another party.

    Further in Section 68(1)(g), the Constitution spells out the right condition under which a legislator could defect from the party on which platform he/she was elected to the legislative house and still retain his/her seat.

    It says: “Provided his membership of the latter political party is not as a result of a division in the political party of which he was previously a member or of a merger of two or more political parties or factions by one of which he was previously sponsored.

    Supreme Court ruling on party division

    The Supreme Court has, in many cases, the most recent being that of the Labour Party and Ifedayo Sunday Abegunde (Ondo State), interpreted the provision of Section 68(1)(g), particularly on what constitutes a division in a party.

    Abegunde was elected to the House of Representatives on the platform of the Labour Party in the Seventh Assembly. He defected, in 2011, to the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) before the end of his tenure, citing a division in his state chapter of the Labour Party.

    In a preemptive move, Abegunde sued his former party at the Federal High Court, Akure, urging the court to, among others, deem his defection as proper, to enable him retain his seat. He lost at the trial court, the Court of Appeal, and up to the Supreme Court.

    A seven-man panel of the Supreme Court, headed by then Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Mahmud Mohammed, in its judgment on April 17, 2015, held against Abegunde, to the effect that his claim of a division in the chapter of his party in his state did not qualify as the division envisaged under Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution.

    In the lead judgment, Justice Musa Dattijo Mohammad noted that it is only a division that made it “impossible or impracticable” for the party to function by virtue of the provision of Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution that “justifies a person’s defection to another party.”

    Justice Muhammad  added: “The principles enunciated by this court in the two cases of FEDECO  v Goni supra and Attorney-General of the Federation v Abubakar supra, are to the effect that only such factionalisation, fragmentation, splintering or ‘division’ that makes it impossible or impracticable for a particular party to function as such will, by virtue of the proviso to Section 68(1)(g), justify a person’s defection to another party and the retention of his seat for the unexpired term in the house in spite of the defection.”

    Despite the unambiguous constitutional provisions on when a defection is proper, and clear interpretations of these provisions by the Supreme Court, their application has, in most cases, been subjected to the whims of the leadership of the National Assembly.

    The most recent cases are those involving Zaphaniah Jisalo (Abuja Municipal Area Council /Bwari Federal Constituency of the Federal Capital Territory) and Ahmed-Tijani Damisa (Okene/Ogori-Magongo Federal Constituency in Kogi State).

    Jisalo and Damisa, who were elected to the House of Representatives on the platform of the PDP, defected to the APC in 2017, prompting members of their former party in the House to demand that they vacate their seats upon their defection.

    When the issue was raised in the floor of the House, its Minority Whip, Umar Barde (PDP, Kaduna) demanded that the seats occupied by Jisalo and Damisa be declared vacant in view of the provision of Section 68 (1g) of the Constitution, and since the PDP was no longer divided after the Supreme Court’s resolution of the leadership dispute between Ali Modu Sheriff and Ahmed Makarfi.

    The Chairman of the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges, Osai Nicholas Ossai (PDP, Delta) spoke in similar vein and urged Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, to invoke Section 68 of the Constitution and declare the defectors’ seats vacant.

    Dogara declined to accede to the PDP members’ call, but instead, argued that the PDP members’reliance on Section 68 (1g) of the Constitution to demand that the defectors’ seats be declared vacant was insufficient, and added that the constitution did not define what constituted a division in a political party.

    The Speaker was quoted as arguing: “Division in a political party is not defined by the constitution. The constitution does not state whether it should be at the national, state or local government level. So, we should allow the judiciary to do its job.”

    Observers argued that with the reluctance of the leadership of the National Assembly to abide by the provision of the Constitution and the various court pronouncements on when a defecting legislator could retain his seat, it would be a herculean task for the APC to have Saraki surrender the position of the Senate President with his defection.

    In the beginning

    Indication that the Eighth National Assembly was going to be  peculiar was discernible from its inception, particularly with the manner in which Saraki and Dogara emerged as President and Speaker of both legislatives house, which many saw as a break with tradition.

    They emerged against the expectation of their party – the APC. And, for the first time since the reestablishment of democracy in 1999, Saraki’s alliance with the opposition PDP also cost his party the position of the Deputy Senate President.

    Observers argued that by the manner he emerged as the Senate President, and his conduct since he assumed office, Saraki has not left anyone in doubt that he was never with the APC and that it was only the blind and political novice that thought otherwise.

    They observed that for the first time in the nation’s political history, the Saraki-led Senate operated more as an opposition force, challenging and hindering the policies and decisions of the Executive rather than supporting them. They refer to the constant delay in the passage of the budget, the recurring cases of budget padding, the Senate’s reluctance to confirm presidential nominees, among others.

    Observers contend that Saraki’s defection to the PDP and his decision to hand the Senate Presidency to the opposition are still part of his brand of politics, which the APC leadership must address with tact, particularly in the absence of precedent and clear-cut constitutional provisions on whether or not the ruling party must always produce the heads of the legislative houses.

    They note that the closest the nation has witnessed before now was the case of Tambuwal, who defected to the APC from the PDP before the 2015 general elections, but refused, as is the case with Saraki, to surrender the Speakership position.

    They added that the dilemma in which the APC finds itself  would not have arisen had there been a constitutional provision to address such development or had there been a judicial pronouncement on the issue.

    There is also the contention that the seeming political naivety on the part of President Muhammadu Buhari, who after winning the 2015 presidential election reportedly said he could work with whoever emerge as leaders of the National Assembly, contributed to the state of affairs.

    Observers argue that a pragmatic and experienced politician would work to ensure that his allies emerge as key leaders of the Legislature rather than stay aloof, a decision that has come to haunt President Buhari, his government and party.

    Before now

    Critics of the grieving APC are quick to argue that history and the law are on their side in this. They have argued that no law prohibits any opposition party from producing the Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Speaker and Deputy Speaker once it is able to muster the majority to have its members elected for the positions.

    They are also quick to cite instances before now, where members of political parties, other than the ruling ones, have led both houses of the National Assembly.

    At the end of the 1979 general elections, the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), which won the presidency and majority of the seats in both the Senate and House of Representatives, could not meet the constitutionally required conditions to form government on its own. It went into an accord with the party that came third – the Nigerian People’s Party (NPP), led by Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe.

    Both parties entered into a power-sharing arrangement, which produced Joseph Ways of the NPN as Senate President and John Wash Pam, of the NPP, as Deputy Senate President. In the House of Representatives, NPP’s Edwin Ume-Ezeoke was made the Speaker.

    However, when the accord broke down in 1982 prior to the next general elections, neither Pam nor Ume-Ezeoke resigned his position.

    In 2015, PDP’s Aminu Tambuwal, who was then the Speaker of the House of Representatives held on to the position even when he defected to the APC.

    Also, before Saraki left the APC with his hold on the Senate Presidency, the seat of the Deputy Senate President was already being held by a member of the minority PDP.

    Lawyers divided

    Critics argue that the constitutional provisions do not bar lawmakers from the minority political party in the parliament from seeking the position of Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly.

    They also note that none of the provisions stipulates that a Senate President, who becomes a member of a minority party should relinquish the position.

    Although lawyers see Saraki’s failure to surrender the position of the Senate President despite the defection to the PDP from different perspectives, no one is yet categorical on any constitutional provision on the issue of whether or not a defecting Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives must relinquish the position upon his defection.

    However, most arguments so far, that Saraki must relinquish his hold on the Senate Presidency, are mainly hinged on tradition, moral and ethical grounds.

    Femi Falana (SAN) based his position on his contention that since Saraki and others’ defection is illegal, there being no legitimate division in national body of the APC, Saraki could no longer hold on to the position of the Senate President.

    Falana argued that “the 1979 and 1999 constitutions have prohibited cross-carpeting on the grounds that you (the defecting legislators) are cheating or shortchanging the electorate. And that was stated under Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution.

    “The only proviso is that, if your political party is in trouble and is fractionalised and there is a major division, you can cross over, but not a division instigated for the purpose of exiting, no. So, if you are elected on the platform of party A, and you don’t want that party again, you must go and seek fresh mandate on the platform of your new party,” he said.

    Mike Ozekhome (SAN), however, countered Falana’s position when he insisted that not only was the defection in order, Saraki need not relinquish his position as the Senate President.

    Ozekhome said: ”In law, there is no legal or constitutional basis for Dr Bukola Saraki to resign or be removed as president of the Senate and Chairman of the NASS simply because he has decamped or defected from APC to PDP.”

    He argued that since there were factual evidences that there was division in the APC in the manner envisaged in the proviso to Section 68(1)(g), Saraki cannot lose leadership position as the Senate President.

    Ozekhome contended that “there is nowhere in the extant 1999 Constitution where it is provided that the ruling party must provide the principal heads of the bicameral legislature.”

    A Law teacher at the University of Lagos, Wahab Shittu maintained a middle ground, but insisted that on ethical and moral grounds, Saraki ought to be prevailed upon to allow the majority party, as has been the tradition, to produce the Senate President.

    Shittu noted that the issue raises constitutional, ethical and moral standards. He stressed that constitutionally, Saraki has a right to defect, which he has exercised, but that such defection also has its consequences.

    He added: “The post of the Senate President is reserved for the party with the majority in the House. As the Senate President, he is the first among equals. So, the ruling party, by the exercise of its majority membership in the House, is entitled to produce the Senate President.

    “Having defected from the ruling party, and with the ruling party still maintaining a majority in the House, he (Saraki) can no longer preside over the House.  And, if you look at it from the perspective of the tenets of democracy, democracy is a game of number. So, the majority has the right to produce the Senate President. That is the privilege they enjoy.

    “But, having said that, the decision, on who becomes the Senate President, is the prerogative of the House. Every Senator is entitled to exercise his/her voting right when the choice of a Senate President is being made. It is something that will be subjected to vote, because it is the prerogative of members to decide who they want to make the Senate President.

    “This is why I say it raises ethical and moral question. Because there is a saying that if there is a crown that belongs to a family and you leave the family for any reason; ethically and morally, you should also return the crown,” Shittu said.

    Another lawyer, Dr. Jonah Duku argued that despite the absence of any constitutional provision that effectively address the issue at hand, there is nothing stopping the people from resorting to tradition and practices in other civilised democracies.

    Duku contended that the law in every democracy is made up of legal rules and conventions, and that because the nation’s Constitution is not explicit on what should be done in this kind of scenario cannot be interpreted to imply that it endorses chicanery.

    He added: “The Constitution flourishes on moral hygiene, and legal rules are basic minimum acceptable standards of conduct in any democratic setting. So, in a democracy, the law expects the society to function at much higher standards than those contained in legal rules.

    “It is unfortunate that politicians in this clime are actuated by motives other than service to the people and fatherland. They are driven solely by the urged for self-aggrandisement and mad acquisition of crude power and capital for their sake.  Morality, ethical conduct, the need to abide by the rule of decent conduct do not appeal to them.

    “This accounts for why the political space is populated by characters with questionable background and individuals, who are unknown to have distinguished themselves in any field of human endeavours.’’

    Options for APC

    Law experts argued that the absence of a legal direction on this issue still provided the APC with options to explore. First, they said, is for the APC to approach the court for a definite pronouncement on this issue to serve as a guide in future occurrence.

    The second, they noted, is for the party to explore the constitutional provisions in Section 50(2) (c) of the Constitution, which provides for the removal of such a principal officer through a resolution by the votes of not less than two-thirds majority of the members of the House.

    The implication is that the APC will require the support of 73 senators out of the total 109 in the Senate to achieve such a resolution.

    The third option is for the APC to allow Saraki complete his term as Senate President under his new party and prevent a recurrent should it retains power at the centre after the 2019 general elections.

  • Makarfi: Defectors will add value toPDP

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant Senator Ahmed Makarfi has said that defectors from the All Progressives Congress (APC) will be given a sense of belonging.

    He said in a statement by his media aide, Muktha Siraju that the coast is clear the victory of PDP in next year’s polls.

    Makarfi hailed Senate President Bukola Saraki, Governors Samuel Ortom, Abdulfatal Ahmed and Aminu Tambuwal;  senators, members of the House of Representatives and  House of Assembly who have returned to the PDP.

    He said the party has a large  umbrella to accommodate and and provide security to  Nigerians at this most difficult time in national history.

    Makarfi said: “As the former Caretaker Committee Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, I fought long and hard to ensure that democracy did not perish in Nigeria. Idid so even at risk to my life because I believes that the Peoples Democratic Party is the only party founded on the very basic principles of democracy, justice, equity, fairness and the rule of law.

    “I always believe that the rebranded and repositioned PDP offers opportunity for all who have the will to take it.

    “I fought even harder to create an environment where members could thrive and develop to their God given potential by laying emphasis on openness, fairness, justice and inclusion.”

    Makarfi said the 2019 election is  critical to national survival, adding that intimidation and harassment of political opponents, impunity in government, insecurity, and poverty should end.

    He added: ‘ This is why I am is gladdened on the news of the return back to the fold of these our brothers and sisters  and the other democrats who decided to move in the right direction.

    “I congratulate them all and offers a hand of fellowship and cooperation to all of them, to work together, to rescue our country, save our democracy, preserve the legacy of our heroes past, restore our prosperity and secure our security at this crucial period.”

  • Defection: Group urges Tambuwal to resign

    A Group of ‘Concerned Citizens of Sokoto State has urged Gov. Aminu Tambuwal to resign his position as governor following his defection to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from  All Progressive Congress (APC).

    Addressing newsmen on Sunday, the group Coordinator, Alhaji Abubakar Abdullahi, described Tambuwal’s exit from APC as a betrayal of the people’s mandate given him in the  2015 general elections.

    Abdullahi said Tambuwal’s  election was not because of his popularity among the by people but because of the circumstances that PDP led Nigeria into then and   the contributions of Sen. Aliyu Wamakko and President Muhammad Buhari.

    “We are speaking on behalf of Sokoto people that we are totally against Tambuwal’s decision to join PDP and we want him to immediately return our mandate by resigning his position as governor,’’ Abdullahi said.

    He called for an investigation into the alleged bribery of 18 lawmakers to join PDP with Tambuwal and sponsorship of people from the 23 local government areas to attend the Aug. 1 event at which the governor defected.

    The coordinator called on Tambuwal to either confirm or deny the allegations, including the claim that the governor spent five million naira on each of the local government to transport people to the event.

    He added that the group would begin educating people to recall any lawmaker that followed Tambuwal’s actions, while decrying that Nigerians Constitution should accommodate recall process of elected governor.

    Abdullahi described Tambuwal’s comments on Federal Government not executing any project in Sokoto as misleading.

    He listed the establishment of 8 Division of Nigerian Army, N8.7 billion FGN/CBN Intervention programnme in agriculture among others as Buhari’s good work to Sokoto people.

    Abdullahi also urged Tambuwal to account for N18.3 billion Paris Club refunds and N10.09 Salary/Pension arrears settlement facilities given by the Federal Government.

    He traced the history of Tambuwal’s emergence as Speaker House of Representatives, his governorship contest with his brother Sen. Umaru Dahiru-Tambuwal and support he enjoyed from Sen. Aliyu Wamakko.

    Others in attendance at the conference were Retired Squadron Leader, Aminu Bala-Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Gidan-Bango, Alhaji Usman Hassan and Alhaji Mu’azu Maigwanjo among others.

  • 2019: Shagari declares governorship bid

    Former Minister of Water Resources, Barrister Mukhtari Shagari popularly called “Mai Ruwa” on Wednesday declared his ambition to contest the seat of Sokoto state Governor in 2019 general elections on the banner of  the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    However, Shagari had in 2011 and 2015 contested for the seat in the state but failed to win even as he could not scale the primary stage in 2015 when Sen. Abdallah Wali picked the party’s ticket as candidate.

    Shagari is now the second contender against Tambuwal to declare his ambition  a day after a former Finance Commissioner in the state, Farouk Malami Yabo who is aspiring on the platform of the All Progressives Congress(APC)

    Making the declaration, Barrister Shagari who was a two terms Deputy Governor in the state hitherto, warned against oppression of its members by the party’s leadership for the benefit of those who have just defected to the party.

    “We are welcoming new members, out doors are always opened for them.

    Read Also: EFCC: Court grants Shagari, Wali, others bail

    ” However, I want our leaders to ensure justice in dealing with all its members. Don’t oppress or impose candidate on us,” he warned

    According to Shagari,  ” Those who left for APC thought it has a cure to their problem only for them to realise that their problem is worsening by the day and now come back to the most acceptable party in the country.

    In the same vein, the aspirant, assured of his readiness to carry all members of the party along if given the ticket just as he expressed commitment to leading the state to the promised land with emphasis and focus on education, health and agriculture as priorities.

    ” I assure you that I am the antidote to your problems,” he reassured the people of the state.

     

     

  • 2019: What will Tambuwal do?

    As the preparation for 2019 General Election gathers momentum in All Progressives Congress, following the threat posed by the R-APC and the recent alliance, there is confusion in Sokoto State over Governor Aminu Tambuwal’s next political move, reports Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan

    FOLLOWING the emergence of the Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC), peopled by some members of the defunct nPDP block in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and  its participation in a coalition of political parties and groups, led by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as part of efforts to stop the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019, the political future of a number of APC chieftains is now shrouded in uncertainty.

    While a good number of the R-APC chieftains have made it clear that they are headed out of the ruling party, strong indications continue to emerge that some leaders of the nPDP might not leave the APC, contrary to expectations. Many reasons, ranging from the ongoing effort by the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led National Reconciliation Committee, to personal and group political considerations, among others, have been adduced for this.

    Not surprisingly, one of the nPDP leaders whose political future remains uncertain is the Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal. Leaders of the APC in Sokoto State, as well as the governor’s crowd of supporters and political associates are anxiously waiting for him to give an inkling of what he is planning to do as regards the R-APC and its defection plan as the 2019 general election draws nearer.

    Aside the R-APC issue, the people of Sokoto State are also uncertain about the next political aspiration of their current governor. While many gubernatorial aspirants, especially within the opposition parties, are currently traversing the length and breadth of the state in preparation for the next governorship election in the northwestern state, the people are daily inundated with talks of Tambuwal being interested in either the governorship of the state or the presidency of the country in 2019.

    While there have been speculations that Tambuwal intends to defect to the PDP where he would vie for that party’s presidential ticket and possibly mount a challenge against President Buhari and the APC in 2019, many of his close political associates back home in Sokoto State have declared his intention to stay put in the APC come what may. A good number of them are even optimistic that Tambuwal will remain in the APC and seek reelection as governor.

    Those expressing confidence that the former House of Representatives Speaker is on his way out of the ruling party have been analyzing some perceived political moves of his, like the visit last year to Delta State where he met with Governors Okowa (Delta) and Nyesom Wike (Rivers); a similar visit to Abia, another PDP state, as well as the most recent visit to Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State in company of Senate Presdient Bukola Saraki.

    Tambuwal described Wike as “Ekwueme” (promise-keeper) of Rivers State and said, “it only takes a leader with vision, passion and commitment to come up with this idea and implement it”. He said Wike’s projects were tailored to the needs of the people and in accordance with modern governance. Expectedly, reports had it that the Sokoto Governor had endorsed Wike, a PDP chieftain, for second term as governor.

    These dalliances and romances with the opposition, so close to a general election, coupled with the fact that unlike some of his APC colleagues like Abdulai Ganduje (Kano), Nasir El-rufai (Kaduna) and Aminu Masari (Katsina), he is not very visible in the ongoing nationwide political stampede to declare Buhari as the only credible candidate the APC can put forward in 2019, are reasons why Tambuwal’s supporters in Sokoto are uncertain about what to expect from him.

    Confusion

    Pulling the lid off the confusion that currently pervades the political firmament of the state, a group of politicians within the ruling party, had few weeks back, given the governor a 48-hour ultimatum to declare his stand on President Buhari’s 2019 ambition and also tell members of the party whether he will be seeking re-election as governor in 2019 or not.

    The Adalci Buhari Saka group said Tambuwal must declare whether he is with President Buhari or not. The group also threatened further actions against the governor if his intention on the matter is not made known within the given time. Leaders and members of the group, who are also APC chieftains, had also accused the governor of anti-party activities.

    “We don’t understand his romance with the leading members of the opposition PDP which was widely publicized. He has a strong relationship with Governor Wike who is the perceived leader of the modern PDP and the national chairman of the party. He visits them and they come and visit him in Sokoto as well. We will do all that is necessary if Tambuwal does not state his position within the slated ultimatum,” spokesperson of the group, Bashar Lawal, said.

    On the contrary, arguing that he would stay put in the ruling party, the state chapter of the APC allayed whatever fear the people of the state, especially supporters of the governor and the ruling party, might be nursing in a recent press statement that assured all and sundry that Tambuwal remains the only person to be supported by the party for the governorship seat in 2019.

    While insisting no contender can match Tambuwal in 2019, the APC said with the governor as its candidate, it will take out other parties in Sokoto State before the next general election. The new chairman of the party in the state, Isa Sadiq Achida, said there was no political party in Sokoto other than the ruling APC and that if there was any it would be eliminated before the election. He said the party is still intact and waxing stronger , adding that they would win all elective positions in the state.

    According to the party boss, a former Commissioner in Tambuwal’s administration and one of his closest aides, APC will field the governor again as no candidate could match his quality in the next election because of his outstanding achievements. He said the governor had cleared liabilities amounting to billions of naira. “He settled gratuities and pensions of retired civil servants and severe allowances of local government employees,” he said.

    But another chieftain of the APC in the state, Alhaji Dahiru Yusuf Yabo, insisted that Tambuwal has some games up his sleeves ahead of the 2019 general election. According to the 2011 governorship aspirant of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in the state, the governor is currently working against the interest of President Buhari and the APC.

    “We know him as a governor under the platform of APC but it has been reported widely that he is romancing some personalities from outside his party, particularly those in PDP. There are speculations that he (Tambuwal) was among the people who funded the new leadership of PDP and his frequent visit to Rivers State, which is literally the PDP headquarters and where the party national chairman comes from.

    “We are also aware about his deep and close relationship with the governor of Rivers State. Being old folks in politics, we can read along the lines and understand the movements of any politician, especially toward an election time. With what is happening now at the National Assembly, one can see clearly too that there are a lot of apprehensions.  “Also, knowing the relationship of Governor Tambuwal with the Speaker of the House of Representatives who everybody knows he galvanised support for, to become the Speaker, we knew he must have an influence on the current happenings in the National Assembly. All these things put together, we felt we are even helping him to clear the air on some public misconceptions about his personality and political moves toward 2019,” he said.

    Face off with Wammako?

    To further compound the uncertainty surrounding Tambuwal’s next political action, there are talks about a rift between him and his political godfather and former governor of the state, Senator Aliyu Wamakko. Sources within the state even claimed the crisis between the two associates may have led to the recent dissolution of the State Executive Council (SEC).

    The dissolved cabinet, according to party sources, comprised of supporters of both Tambuwal and Wammako supporters. Tambuwal sacked all members of the cabinet after two weeks of alleged political brickbats between him and his predecessor. Though the rift has been on for a while now, it allegedly blew open at the national convention of the APC where Abubakar Makama Mainasara, a known ally of Wammako’s ran against Inuwa Abdulkadir, an ally of the governor.

    Few days after the face-off at the convention the two camps traded words over an rally held in the state capital by party members to protest against Wammako. While the Senator’s people alleged that the rally was sponsored by the state government to embarrass the former governor, Tambuwal’s camp denied any hand in it and accused those making the allegations of whipping up crisis within the party.

    Announcing the sack of the cabinet, a statement by the Director–General, Media and Public Affairs, to the Governor, Mallam Abubakar Abu Shekara, said: “The Governor of Sokoto State,  Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has dissolved the Sokoto State Executive Council with immediate effect. The dissolution is aimed at restructuring and re-strategising the cabinet for optimum efficiency and service delivery to the good people of Sokoto State.

    “While thanking members of the Council for the dedication, sacrifice and loyalty to the administration, the governor  expressed appreciation to the people for cooperating with and supporting the outgoing members of the council towards achieving the successes recorded. The commissioners would hand over the affairs of their respective ministries to the Permanent Secretaries.”

    But sources within the party claimed the dissolution is aimed at easing out Wammako’s men from the government as Tambuwal prepares to dump the APC for the PDP in the coming weeks. “The dissolution is just the first step in a number of moves that will end with the defection of the governor and his men to the PDP. Even the leadership of the party will go with them.

    “Or why do you think he ensured the emergence of this aide as the chairman of the party in the state? Leaders of the party are very much aware of what is going on and we are working round the clock to prepare ourselves for the inevitable. But one thing you can all see is that we made more than enough sacrifice to prevail on the governor not to leave the party,” our source, a former Commissioner in the state, said.

    However, the new Publicity Secretary of the party, Honourable Yusuf Ilaris, said there is nothing in the story that claims the governor and his predecessor are at war. According to him, the APC in the state is united and stronger. He accused mischief makers of trying to create crisis for the ruling party at all cost so as to satisfy some pre-planned evil intentions.

    Ilaris added Tambuwal and Senator Wamakko,  leaders of the party in the state, were not only united but working tirelessly for the success of the party in the coming elections at all levels. He insisted that with the leaders united and the party more popular in the state than ever before, Tambuwal will easily win reelection in 2019 on the platform of the party.

    Before the national convention, Wamakko had also cautioned those who he said are ceaselessly trying to sow seeds of discord between him and his successor. “Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and I are one and the same, contrary to the machinations of some doubting Thomases. The respect my younger brother, the governor is according me is unparalleled. I am truly and sincerely very grateful to him for this and I am highly cherishing his enviable gestures,” he said back then.

    But observers of the politics of the state say it is not clear if Wammako will say the same of his relationship with the Sokoto governor today. Many are even recalling a recent statement credited to the former governor that he will not be dumping the APC like some other nPDP chieftains to mean that he has parted ways with Tambuwal, who, up till this moment, is yet to denounce the defection plot. The question for now is still, “what will Tambuwal do?

  • Killings in Nigeria: Group disagrees with Tambuwal

    The Nigerian Youth Impact Movement (NYIM) has strongly frowned at the recent comment by Governor Aminu Tambuwal, accusing President Muhammadu Buhari of being responsible for the politically-motivated killings in Nigeria.
    Tambuwal, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives had stated that the killings across the nation boil down to failure of leadership, stressing that the “growing spate of mindless shedding of innocent blood” has brought a new dimension to the reprehensible state of insecurity in the country.
    “That is not what Nigerians voted for in 2015″ Tambuwal had said.
    Reacting however, the youth group stated that it is very disheartening to see people who were in the helms of affairs in the old regime known for wastage, nepotism and grand corruption to cast aspersions on the person of President Buhari.
    Odoh Chima, Executive Director of the group in a statement warned Tambuwal that despite eyeing the number one seat, he should not throw caution into the winds.
    According to Chima, Nigeria relapsed into a recession shortly after the take off of the present administration because  the 7th National Assembly under Tambuwal didn’t do their job in checking what was happening in the office of the National Security Adviser, NSA and  Petroleum Ministry.
    He said, “Tambuwal as a matter of fact has undermined the war on corruption by terminating all corruption cases against members of his cabinet accused of stealing N1.5 billion public funds.
    “While billions of public funds are being squandered in the name of the electorate without commensurate social infrastructure in Sokoto state despite receiving successive funding as bailouts, Paris club refunds in addition to the regular monthly subvention from the federal government.
    “He therefore has no moral justification to attack the person of President Muhammadu Buhari on any grounds because as a matter of fact, he has a case to answer.
    “Talking about overhauling the Nigerian security architecture our question is, what did he do when Nigerians were killed like animals during the last administration while he was the speaker of the house?
    “We view this call as unfortunate and Ill conceived but we are not surprised because Tambuwal has again proven himself to be the chameleon that he is.
    “While we are not against his hobnobbing with the opposition which he now clearly belongs, we are warning him to stop playing politics with the lives of Nigerians.
    “The Nigerian security architecture as presently constituted has performed remarkably well, no wonder they have decapitated the dreaded Boko Haram terrorists, quelled all insurrections around the country and currently working to end the persistent farmers-herders crisis.
    “Tambuwal and his co-travellers should know that no amount of blackmail to score cheap political goals can deter Mr President from delivering on his promises which he has continued to do.
    “Comments like these amount to hate speech because they are capable of inflaming the already tensed situation around the country.
    “Much as we know that the evil intent of Hon Tambuwal is to  paint Mr President in a bad light and turn his people against him, we also can now clearly see that he is one of those who have seen President Buhari as a convenient scapegoat on account of his ethnicity.
    “Now that investigations have it that the recent killings have a political undertone, it is very clear that while we are hearing the voice of Jacob, the hand we feel is that of Esau.
    “Stereotyping a particular ethnic group who have lived peacefully with their host communities for hundreds of years because of one man has put the innocent Fulani man at harm’s way.
    “Only a witch is quick to accuse others of witchcraft there is no way Hon Tambuwal can tell Nigerians he knows nothing about the grand plot to destabilize Nigeria.”

  • Sokoto boosts agriculture with fertiliser

    The Sokoto State government has commenced distribution of 15,000 metric tones fertiliser, loaded in 500 trucks, for the 2018 wet season farming.
    The fertiliser will be sold to farmers at the subsidised rate of four thousand naira ( N4000) per bag.
    Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal flagged off the sales in Tureta local Government area of the state, where he urged farmers to use the fertiliser judiciously.
    He also warned against diversion of the product and middle men, as he reminded the teeming farmers that they were one of the most vital links in the cocktail of measures designed by the state to boost food security.
    Governor Tambuwal who also advised the farmers to imbibe the culture of using improved seedlings on their farms for improved Agricultural yields, distributed support packages to target beneficiaries of IFAD support programme in the state.
    Fertilisers, goats, fishery equipment and improved seeds were among the items given in support of the efforts of farmers in Sokoto State.
    The Governor appealed to the farmers from the 36 villages who benefited from the agricultural support to see themselves as agents of economic diversification.
    In his welcome remarks, the Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Agriculture, Alh. Sani Garba Shuni, said the state Government has purchased the Super Sosat Millet seed and Faro44 Rice Seed for distribution to farmers.
    He also thanked Governor Tambuwal for his support to the ministry.
    In his remarks the IFAD National Programme Coordinator, Alh Muhammad Lawal Idah, said Sokoto State is leading other participating states in the implementation of IFAD programmes.

  • MARYAM MAIRO TAMBUWAL gives to women and children

    FOR Hajia Mairo Tambuwal, this is no better time to put smiles on the faces of women in Sokoto State. In order to ensure that child and maternal mortality is drastically reduced, if not eliminated, the governor, Aminu Tambuwal, and his wife recently flagged off the Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn child, Adolescent Health Plus Nutrition (RMNCAH+N) in the state.

    The couple also inaugurated the revitalised primary health care and birth right labour room at Gagi town, Sokoto south local government area.

    It will be recalled that the wife of the president and founder of Future Assured, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, has encouraged wives of governors to make commitment towards championing the improvement of RMNCAH+N in Nigeria.

    It was in line with this commitment that the Sokoto State’s first lady, who is also the Sokoto State RMNCAH+N champion, initiated the flag off of the programme, which is designed to cover the 23 local government areas of Sokoto State.

    The governor’s wife attributed the successful turnout of the event to God. She also expressed her gratitude to her husband, who in spite of his tight schedule attended the memorable event.

    Hajia Tanbuwal also announced to the gathering the distribution of over 2000 mobile phones to community-based healthcare volunteers in the state, to enhance sensitisation and social mobilisation activities.