The House of Tambuwal

Ahead of the elections, all kinds of intrigues were deployed by those opposed to Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, including declaring him wanted by the EFCC to face questioning on some farcical charges of financial misdeeds allegedly done by the outgoing Speaker, Dimeji Bankole. There were several versions of how Tambuwal evaded EFCC before he made it […]

Ahead of the elections, all kinds of intrigues were deployed by those opposed to Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, including declaring him wanted by the EFCC to face questioning on some farcical charges of financial misdeeds allegedly done by the outgoing Speaker, Dimeji Bankole. There were several versions of how Tambuwal evaded EFCC before he made it to the floor of the House. He was said to have disguised himself by dropping his favourite babban riga and donning the South-South mode of dressing complete with a hat! Suffice it to say that on 6th June, 2011, under the very old nose of Tony Anenih and his band, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, representing Kebbe/Tambuwal Federal Constituency pulled off a stunning victory by polling 252 votes to beat PDP-anointed candidate, Mulikat Akande, who had just 90 votes.
At a time when their party had become unreasonable and hypocritical in the observance of its zoning formula for sharing political offices, many members of the House thought that their best option was to ignore the so called zoning and allow for the election of the best candidate to lead the second chamber of the legislature. Among the Northern Caucus of the legislature, Tambuwal’s name was on every lip. Groups angling for Tambuwal said they did so in furtherance of the independence of the legislature, and banked on experience, efficiency, unity and stability of the country.  The large measure of support Hon. Aminu Tambuwal has enjoyed thus far is irrespective of party affiliation and ethno-religious background. Perhaps, this is because Tambuwal is a completely detribalized legislator who cooperates with colleagues and befriends everyone.  Legislators from the South Eastern part of the country who had themselves been denied the number four position resolved to support whoever Northern legislators put forward as their candidate for the job. For this reason, they had one of them, Emeka Ehedioha, elected unopposed as Deputy Speaker.
The PDP Godfathers had failed to realize that by 2007, the House of Representatives had already established a tradition of selecting whoever enjoyed their confidence to lead them. In that year, when the so called PDP National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Committee (NEC) and other organs met and selected Patricia Etteh’s successor (when it became clear Etteh and her deputy, Nguroje, would not survive), the members snubbed them.  Promptly, the members rejected the choice of the PDP and elected Bankole as Speaker. The House had no reason therefore to surrender this gain and kow-tow to the executives in Aso Villa or Wadata House or Legacy House or wherever.
The June 2011 election of Aminu Waziri Tambuwal is in order as he is eminently qualified for his job. He has now been elected to the House four times. He had been the Deputy Whip of the House from 2007 to 2011. Before then, he was the Minority Leader between 2003 and 2007. A lawyer, Tambuwal holds an LLB from Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto, and an LLM from the University of Abuja (and is also an alumnus of Kennedy School of Government); he has married law and politics well.
What should bother Tambuwal now is how far he can use the number four position in the country to bequeath a positive legacy and probably enhance his political career. For a start, Tambuwal should realise that he will be Speaker for as long as he enjoys the support of his colleagues – across party lines – inside the House. The PDP and indeed the presidency are forever opposed to his leadership. Therefore, none of them will attempt to save him if he gets into trouble; he is not Speaker because of them but in spite of them. Therefore, he must keep enough PDP and the entire opposition members in his column.
Secondly, as a fourth timer, Tambuwal has gained almost all he could in the House including the ultimate, its helms; he must therefore concentrate on cultivating colleagues and retaining their confidence. He must continue to apply those time tested virtues of hard work, fair play, honesty, humility, deft diplomacy and fear of God in whatever he does and whoever he meets, irrespective of abode, faith or tongue.
Thirdly, the House of Tambuwal must steer clear of the corruption permeating government. After the Hembe committee’s public hearing fiasco of the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) and more shockingly the fallout from Faruk Lawan’s alleged pay-and-be delisted petrol subsidy probe, public confidence in the House has considerably waned. It is therefore Tambuwal’s sacred duty to guard against any further eruption of corruption scandal or semblance of it while he is in charge.
The only way the House of Tambuwal could retain the sympathy of the citizens in its oversight of the executive is when it is seen to be free of those very sins for which it accuses that arm of government.   The House of Tambuwal must also do something quickly to stem the tide of poverty that is enveloping the masses of the country, especially in the North. About one third of our most productive workforce is shut out of any meaningful economic activity. This is dangerous and unacceptable.
Other than that, Aminu Tambuwal’s political future is very bright indeed. The Speaker has a very strong political base, especially in Sokoto where PDP scored almost 100% victories at all levels of elections. For this reason also, Tambuwal’s road to Sokoto Government House (SOGH) come 2015, is believed to be fully macadamized as former front runners have lost their reckoning. How he manages the House will determine the shape and scale of additional victories. For now, at only 47 years of age, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal’s star is brightly lit in the firmament.
Najakku wrote from 19, Shantali Road, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State.