At Last Tambuwal Joins APC , Dumps PDP During House Plenary

After several months of speculation and his fervent denial, speaker for the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the opposition, All Progressives Congress, APC.

Tambuwal, formally declared for the All Progressives Congress on Tuesday during the Hon plenary. The law requires him to officially make this declaration before his fellow lawmakers.
For months prior to this, the speaker had vehemently denied planning to move to APC even though his affiliations with the party were public knowledge.
About a week ago, when he attended an APC meeting in Sokoto, it became clear that he was planning to seal the deal and jump ship.
He said that the Sokoto governor, Aliyu Wammako, invited him for the meeting after a visiting PDP delegation to Sokoto led by Tony Anenih, BoT Chairman, had snubbed him.
Tambuwal will be expected to contest for governorship of Sokoto state, from which he hails.
It is believed that he denied involvement with APC for months because he was afraid of losing his position as speaker.
Shortly after today’s declaration, Mr. Tambuwal adjourned the sitting of the lower house of parliament to December 3.

 The Sun had predicted that Speaker,  House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, is expected to formally dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC) today.

The defection, which will take place on the floor of the House during plenary, will, however, not include either the resignation of Tambuwal as Speaker or as a member of the House.

A principal officer of the House, who does not want his name mentioned, told Daily Sun that every arrangement had been concluded for Tambuwal’s defection today.
He said: “I can tell you authoritatively that our Speaker will formally declare today. There is no going back. The right people who should know about the defection are aware.”
He dismissed insinuation and claims in some quarters that Tambuwal would vacate his seat and top office when he joins APC from PDP, describing such speculation as untrue.
He argued that there was no place in the constitution where it was specified that a Speaker would resign if “he quits a ruling party,” adding: “What I can tell you confidently is that the Speaker will not resign either as our Speaker or as a member, representing his constituency. Those speculations are the handiwork of enemies of this democracy.”
“I know that some people may want to try some funny things but we are waiting for them. We will test our  strength in the court,” the lawmaker vowed.
On whether Tambuwal has a legal justification for leaving PDP at this time, the principal officer contended that the factionalisation of Sokoto State chapter of the PDP was enough reason.
He recalled that the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of PDP, Chief Tony Anenih, only last week visited Sokoto and held a meeting with leaders of the factions of the party in the state.
Apart from that, the lawmaker argued that the state governor, Alhaji Aliyu Wammako’s defection to APC was as a result of the crisis rocking the state chapter of the party.
He said: “Series of developments that had taken place in recent times clearly show that all is not well with the PDP in Sokoto. The constitution says a member of any party can defect to another party if there is a faction in his party.  Tambuwal is leaving PDP because there is crisis rocking Sokoto PDP right now. There is factionalisation of the party. Chief Tony Anenih was in Sokoto recently to resolve the crisis but he failed. The governor of the state left the party for APC because of the crisis. Tambuwal is leaving because of the same reason.”
He observed that politics was local, stressing that Tambuwal was merely dancing to the tune of political songs in Sokoto.
“He is first of all a member representing a constituency in Sokoto. He cannot pretend not to know that all is not well with the Sokoto branch of the PDP. He wants to remain relevant in politics and to achieve that, he must belong to the party where majority of his people are,” the lawmaker said.
On whether other PDP members would decamp with Tambuwal, the lawmaker stated that he could only speak of the Speaker while not ruling out  that some close allies of Tambuwal might join him.
He said: “We are talking about a Speaker, who enjoys the support of his colleagues; some may decide to follow him to APC.”
Tambuwal’s joining of APC is coming a day after some  House members and other Nigerians backing his rumoured presidential ambition kicked off a campaign for him.
The group, which was floated by lawmakers and Nigerians from various walks of life, said they decided to endorse the Speaker because of his track record as an astute politician.
Members of the group, however, said it was not time to disclose their identities, arguing that doing such now might generate bad blood.
One of the members of the group, who is a House member from  the South-west  geopolitical zone, said: “We know the stuff Tambuwal is made of and we from the South and the North will buy his nomination form  and ensure he contests.”
“For now, Tambuwal has the credentials to occupy the number one spot in Nigeria, as he has proved to all that he is not a sectional leader but a complete detribalised Nigerian with a Midas touch.
“We are backing him with every available non-violent weapon to achieve this dream because we believe that Tambuwal’s candidature and eventual victory at the polls will ensure good governance at all levels in Nigeria of tomorrow.”
Another stakeholder, who is from the North-west zone, also spoke in the same vein saying: “We in the North are solidly behind him and will  help to guide and guard him to victory in 2015; mark my words.”

Additional report from Nigerian Bulletin