Tag: Tambuwal

Following the failure of last week’s impeachment plot against the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, he and his supporters may have altered PDP and Presidency’s 2015 permutations, reports  Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu

It was another charged session at a closed-door meeting of members of the House of Representatives, in Abuja, last week’s Wednesday, when what began as a routine enquiry almost crystallized into an impeachment battle against Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.

In that hot encounter, some members of the House, who were reportedly in the minority, had asked the Speaker to give account of expenditure in the House. Apart from that, they demanded an increase in their quarterly allowances and running costs, warning that fulfillment of these demands would serve as preconditions for passing of the 2014 Budget.

The matter however got to a tricky point when the aggrieved members created scenes and supporters of the Speaker put up stiff resistance to save the Speaker.

The Nation gathered that since then, both Tambuwal and his opponents within and outside the House have redrawn their survival strategies. It was learnt that the sponsors of the latest impeachment attempt are directly connected to some powerful elements within the leadership of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Presidency who are not happy that the Speaker maintained his refusal to declare the seats of decamped former PDP members vacant.

“So, although it was introduced mildly, what happened last week was a well backed plot to unseat Tambuwal. It is obvious to some leaders of PDP that the Speaker is playing a complex game. As we prepare for 2015 elections, a leader like Tambuwal cannot afford to dine and wine with political opponents and expect the rest of us to trust he would protect the interest of the party when the chips are down,” said a member of the National Working Committee of PDP, who pleaded not to be named.

Our source said PDP, as the majority party must produce the Speaker of the House “and so, Tambuwal should realise the high office he is occupying on the ticket of PDP and act in ways that will boost the confidence of both the leadership and other members of the party. That is all we are saying. We are practicing partisan democracy. It is not realistic for any elected official, no matter how highly placed, to pretend that he or she got to the seat without a platform. What is happening at the House under Tambowal seem to give that impression and many of us think we cannot allow it to continue, not now that we are preparing for a crucial general election. From now on, the game must be plain. It is either you are for us or you are not. We cannot continue this double game.”

On their part, Tambuwal’s supporters had, during the week, insisted that allegations against the Speaker were baseless. Tambuwal, they argued, had told his persecutors that he could not exceed the N150billion appropriation limit for the House just to satisfy their request for increased allowances, even as he reminded them how former Speaker Dimeji Bankole was sacrificed for succumbing to that same trap, taking N10billion bank loan in order to pay increased allowances.

So the Easter break notwithstanding, it seems the struggle for Tambuwal’s seat is not yet over. An associate of the Speaker said his loyalists have sworn to be “awake” and ensure they are not taken for a ride. “During this Easter break, we will meet and review the situation because we do not want to be taken unaware. “Considering what is at stake and the kind of people we are dealing with, it would not be wise to think they have accepted defeat. No, we are aware they may try again, but we are waiting for them.

The source, a top lawmaker, said top officials, including state governors, have been assigned the task of unseating Tambuwal “if he continues to hobnob with the opposition.”

Past impeachment attempts

Since May 2011, when Tambuwal emerged the Speaker of the House of Representatives, against the calculations of the leadership of his party, the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), he has literally walked a tight rope even as he displays uncanny ability to retain full control of the House, the odds notwithstanding.

It would be recalled that way back in 2011, PDP leaders and the Presidency had zoned the slot to the South-West and Hon. Mulikat Adeola-Akande was fielded for the plum position, but riding on the wings of opposition groups and radical elements within the House, Tambuwal and Hon. Emeka Ihedioha emerged the Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively, an act some powerful members of the top leadership of PDP and the Presidency consider an affront and have therefore been unable to forgive them and their supporters.

Perhaps because of this tricky beginning, Tambuwal and Ihedioha have had to contend with many impeachment plots, most of which are alleged to have been traced to some powerful sponsors within the Presidency and the PDP leadership.

Perhaps, the first well-advertised attempt to remove Tambuwal was in early 2013, shortly after the Yuletide break, when his loyalists in the House successfully stopped a plot by a faceless group.

The impeachment plot then was based on alleged fraudulent activity in the purchase of 400 Toyota Camry cars for members.

The plot went awry following allegation that the administrators of the plot shortchanged other members of the group by paying them $5,000 each instead of the agreed amount, allegedly higher than the amount paid.

In a twist of fate, over 288 members of the House in plenary rose for Tambuwal instead of removing him.

Speaking earlier at the plenary, Tambuwal had said: “We are convinced now more than ever before, that the situation where majority of the citizens continue to live in abject poverty while an insignificant minority corner the commonwealth is not only unjust but unacceptable.

“In this regard, we shall continue to adopt a pragmatic and functional approach to ensure that the war against corruption is removed from the realm of rhetoric by exercising absolute diligence in our oversight function so as to enhance transparency and accountability in both high and low strata.

“As we begin a new year, we hope to be able to improve remarkably on the modest efforts we have made towards raising the quality of legislation in this country and the way we have handled issues arising from our oversight functions.

“Fellow colleagues, this Honourable House has a contract with the Nigerian people to make sure they reap from the gains of our hard-earned democracy and as you all know our goal has always been to fulfill that mandate to the best of our capacity.

“When we came in we promised to pursue an aggressive legislative agenda that will reposition this House not just as a key branch of government determined to deliver on its mandate, but as a veritable defender of the rights of the people.”

On September 2013, at the peak of the crisis in PDP, which resulted in a break-away faction, known as the new-PDP; another plot by some members of the House to impeach Tambuwal failed when it became difficult for the sponsors to muster the statutorily required two-third majority for the proposed impeachment.

The Abubakar Baraje-led faction of the New-PDP had alleged that the Presidency dangled N2.5million carrot before lawmakers to remove Tambuwal, who was considered a member of the new faction. That allegation was based on the fact that the impeachment plot matured shortly after Tambuwal, in his capacity as the Speaker of the House, received the Baraje group during a visit to the National Assembly to brief members on why they pulled out of the main PDP then led by  Dr.  Bamanga Tukur.

His survival streak

But since the commencement of his headship of the lower chamber of the National Assembly, Tambuwal’s successful handling of the most trying moments of the House have helped to shore up his reputation and acceptability, thus making it possible for him to survive power intrigues.

Though Tambuwal’s closest associates and supporters have tried to anchor his survival on alleged uprightness, the Speaker and his henchmen in the House have had to face very trying moments that have further tasked their credibility.

Such trying moments include the fuel subsidy scandal, where allegation of bribery was raised against some lawmakers identified as Tambuwal’s associates.

 Another major challenge was that of resolving the crisis that arose from the allegation of extortion made against the Chairman of the House Committee on Capital Market, Herman Hembe, by the Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms Arunma Oteh.

The most recent incidents that have tasked the House leadership under Tambuwal include the state of emergency declared on Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states and the decampment of members from the political parties they were elected in to the opposition party.

In all, while Tambuwal’s supporters applaud the way he has managed these tricky issues, especially his alleged prudence and financial transparency, his opponents complain over his relationship with the opposition.

Also, another plot, allegedly sponsored by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to suspend Tambuwal, over his alleged romance with the opposition later that year also hit the rocks.

He survived the plot when his home chapter of the PDP in Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State reportedly rebuffed the then national leadership of the party.

According to sources, the plan of the PDP national leadership was for the PDP local chapter to announce his expulsion. If the local chapter had obliged, the plan, according to reports, was for the then national leadership to intervene by converting the expulsion to suspension “pending further investigation.”

However, party sources said the local executive members of the party saw through the instigation and declared that it was beyond them to expel him.

They advised those who had complaints against the Speaker to lodge same with the state executive council of the party.

A source was quoted then as saying, “The plan was to get the L.G.A chapter of the party to expel the Speaker. If that had happened, the national leadership would have intervened by revoking the expulsion order and placing the Speaker on suspension while it claims to be looking into the allegations against him,” sources said.

“That way, other lawmakers plotting to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) would have been cowed. But in spite of the heavy pressure mounted on them, the leadership of the PDP in the council declined to go all the way with the plan. Instead, they requested that those with genuine complaints against Tambuwal should report him to the state executive committee.”

The Nation investigation then revealed that the Speaker survived the plot through the intervention of Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko. The governor, according to The Nation sources, prevailed upon the party chieftains in Tambuwal not to allow themselves to be used to disturb the peace of the state.

Last week’s failure notwithstanding, The Nation gathered that sponsors of impeachment plots against Tambuwal have not given up but have only returned to the drawing board, swearing never to let go until they are sure he remains a PDP member in spirit. This is even as the Speaker’s loyalists and supporters are said to have organized some series of meetings aimed at protecting him. As the battle over Tambuwal’s seat continues, the question on the lips of many Nigerians is if the Speaker will eventually join the opposition party as his opponents in PDP have been alleging or if he would continue to bear the intrigues and continue to deemphasize party politics while carrying out his assignment as the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

 Informed observers are eager to know where the pendulum will swing to when the lawmakers return to the House after their Easter break. They are also interested in locating the Tambuwal matter to the larger picture of 2015 general elections.

Surrounded by approximately a thousand souls all sitting down on a traditional handwoven mat known as tabarma, they all kept silent in a deep reflection listening to the Imam as he renders special prayers for the departed. They all sat, in a tiny room covered with a thatched roof, with legs folded in a yoga-like fashion, thinking of the dead and how the departed left a vacuum that would take time to fill. All around, tears were being wiped away by the mournful crowd.

In that serene atmosphere, deep inside the Sokoto northern hinterland, in a town referred by locals as Ungushi, sitting among locals and sharing their griefs, was Nigeria’s number four citizen, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.  Dressed in his now-famous white babban riga, dan ciki and a white cap to match, his presence and sense of humility edified the sombre gathering in no small measure.

However an hour later, outside the crowded but tranquil room, it was a different ball game altogether. There, a swarm of people, mostly youths and the elderly, gather to shake the hands of a man who has today come to symbolise their hopes and aspirations.

Ungushi is a settlement geographically located in Kebbe, one of the two local government areas that make up Kebbe/Tambuwal Federal Constituency of which the Speaker is their representative in the National Assembly. An entity with years of history, the residents are known for their hard work, dedication and farming skills.

On this particular day, Tambuwal’s visit brought about pure joy to the community, and the elation on their faces says it all. Here they are, proudly engaging a person who they helped – with their votes – to become a member of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, before he subsequently became it’s Speaker.

As they shove one another, hoping to catch a glimpse, and a handshake, with their representative, Tambuwal took his time to condole them individually. Of those among them whom he knew personally, he caught up on old times, reminiscing and thanking them for being there for him at all times.

What may strike a first time witness to events at Ungushi, and many other similar places visited by Tambuwal, is the ease with which he interacts with the people. Devoid of any exhibition of the power of the office he occupies, Tambuwal drove for almost three hours without siren, gun-wielding MOPOLs or security details guiding his movements to pay his respects to the people he holds their mandate in trust. He decided to meet his constituents for a frank and honest discussions about life, politics and farming.

A thing or two about what was said at Ungushi is worth repeating here. Standing under a Neem tree with two elderly men, one of them said: “My son,” he told this writer, “in my many years on earth, I have heard, and seen, how politicians come this far (to Ungushi), to either deceive us the first time, or attempt to deceive us another time. But with Aminu Waziri, things are different. Unlike other politicians, it is not yet an election year but here he is commiserating with us and listening to us talk to him. This is how it should be between a leader and his people.”

The second elder quipped: “We have seen people, some from among ourselves, who rise to positions of authority but we have never seen any one as simple and as humble as Aminu Waziri. His generosity can be likened to great leaders before him. I will compare him in this regard with Sardauna Ahmadu Bello and Sarki Musulmi (Sultan) Attahiru 1.”

As he made his way to his car after bidding the elders farewell, little did he know that another group of youths would lay ‘ambush’ for him outside the town. Chanting solidarity songs, Tambuwal came out of his car to be mobbed by them in a show of love and appreciation for what he has been doing on their behalf in Abuja. There also, he renewed his pledge to serve them honestly and diligently at all times.

In the period since Tambuwal came to national consciousness, he has not lost touch with his base. Importantly, he has maintained what the Ooni of Ife,  His Imperial Majesty, Oba Okunade Sijuade, described as ‘the proper upbringing’ the Speaker  passed through from his formative years. Perhaps taking a cue from past leaders with inestimable value to their communities, those who know Tambuwal closely say he is humility and simplicity personified.

From the likes of Mahatma Gandhi and Winston Churchill, to Martin Luther King, Aminu Kano and Nelson Mandela, there can be as many ways to lead people as there are leaders. Of particular reference here is Malam Aminu Kano. Before he died, over three decades ago, Malam preached and championed the cause of social justice, environmental harmony and spiritual purification. He upheld the universal principles of truth, honesty, sincerity and keeping to time. Today, these are virtues commonly attributed to Malam’s namesake, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.

The Speaker, like Malam in Kano, was, as one writer observed, a proponent of the Usman Dan Fodio lifestyle of talking ‘to the people in simple, clear language; referring to their history and culture; composing songs to convey precise messages; living, eating and clothing self in the same way as the ordinary people; being accessible to all, high and low, educated and illiterate; and above all being morally upright, honest, sincere and truthful to the cause of the people.’

Tambuwal is the quintessential politician who has defied the notion that politicians, especially of the Nigerian variety, cannot say the truth to the powers that be while still in power. By now, Nigerians have come to identify their number four citizen as a fearless  representative whose words and deeds are not at variance with the hopes and aspirations the men and women of his country.

The story of Tambuwal is the story of courage. His meteoric rise to the top of the Green Chamber of Nigeria’s National Assembly only reaffirmed his position as a master tactician in a discipline built on the philosophy of self respect, fair play, hard work and the spirit of give and take.

In a recent speech to honour Aminu Kano, Tambuwal described the legendary politician and statesman as a person who is “unquantifiably and inescapably admired today principally for his firm stand on the path of truth, human rights and empowerment of the talakawa, whom he viewed as a social group battered by the colonial and post-colonial state’s mechanism of exploitation and dis-empowerment.”

To many Nigerians, if there is any political office holder who the above description properly fits, it is Tambuwal himself. In a clime polluted by years of sheer indiscipline and unfulfilled promises, the optimism, and testimonies openly exhibited by the people of Ungushi should naturally serve as a notice to others.

No doubt, Nigerians deserve to benefit from what the voters of Ungushi have been benefiting from since 2003.

•Imam is the Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs to Speaker Tambuwal