President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday
had a closed door meeting with the
leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP), some governors and leaders of the
House of Representatives over the defection
of the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, to the All
Progressives Congress (APC).
It was gathered that the President is worried
that the defection of the Speaker could have
adverse effect on the political fortunes of the
PDP, especially in the forthcoming
elections.ThisDay reports that the meeting is
against the backdrop of the alleged plans by
the Majority
Leader of the House of Representatives,
Mulikat Akande-Adeola (PDP, Oyo) and other
some key PDP members of the House to
challenge Tambuwal’s defection.
It would be recalled that the Tambuwal on
Tuesday defected from the ruling PDP to the
major opposition party, APC, to contest for
the number seat in 2015, in his hometown of
Sokoto.
His defection was greeted by calls on him to
resign to allow another person from PDP
take over the leadership of the House as
Speaker. He was said to have expressed
optimism that he would remain the speaker
of the lower house because PDP will not be
able to gather two-thirds majority required by
the constitution to impeach him.
Tambuwal was said to have adjourned the
House till December 3, as part of efforts to
stall and frustrate every move by the PDP to
remove him.
Although those that attended the meeting
declined to say anything about the outcome
of the meeting, there were suggestions that
the officials led by the party’s National
Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, strategised
on the next step to tackle Tambuwal
defection.
Those in attendance are Chairman of the
PDP Governors’ Forum and Akwa-Ibom State
Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, Governors
of Bayelsa, Henry Seriake-Dickson, Benue,
Gabriel Suswam, Gombe, Ibrahim
Dankwambo and their Enugu State
counterpart, Sullivan Chime.
Others include the Deputy Speaker of the
House, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, the Deputy
Leader of the House, Hon. Leo Ogor,
Chairman, House Committee on Health,
Ndudi Elumelu amongst others.
Meanwhile, the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, on
Wednesday October 29, 2014, reportedly led
more than 50 members of the house to the
APC mini convention in Abuja.
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