BREAKING: Tambuwal’s Second Sojourn To National Assembly

When the 10th National Assembly is inaugurated on Tuesday, June 13, a day after the Democracy Day celebrations, the immediate past Governor of the state of the Caliphate (Sokoto) Aminu Waziri Tambuwal will stand to be counted. ROLAND OGBONNAYA writes on the second coming of the politician to the National Assembly…..CONTINUE READING...CONTINUE READING

As the 10th National Assembly is inaugurated on Tuesday, June 13, Alhaji Aminu Waziri Tambuwal who served out two terms in office as Governor on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will surely be one of the faces to watch at the Red Chambers as Senator for Sokoto South Senatorial zone and one of the 109 lawmakers in the Senate.

For the former presidential aspirant in the 2023 elections, the National Assembly is a familiar terrain for the lawmaker who is, however, moving higher this time around, having won the election to represent Tambuwal/Kebbe Federal Constituency of Sokoto State in 2003. Tambuwal, a senior lawyer during his second term as a lawmaker was elected by the House in 2007 as the Deputy Majority Whip with Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha as the Chief Whip under the leadership of Rt Hon Dimeji Sabur Bankole from 2007 till 2011. Tambuwal who was re-elected for the third time in 2011 alongside his colleagues defied the party’s zoning structure to become the Speaker as against the choice of Hon. Mulika Adeola Akande from the Southwest. In a twist, Ihedioha also emerged as the Deputy Speaker.

Born on January 10, 1965, just as his parents had a premonition that he was destined to greater heights and named him Aminu, leader, and counselor of great men. He brought to bear his legal experience in legislative business having trained as a lawyer at the Uthman Dan Fodio University in Sokoto and guided the House of Representatives for four interesting years and made the business of law-making humane by visiting the country homes of his colleagues endearing him to their families

As the National Assembly is being inaugurated on Tuesday, many observers feel that he may emerge as the Minority Leader of the opposition, the portrayals of Tambuwal as a crushable opponent either by so-called godfathers or direct opponents seem like a style that’s rather favoured him.

Indeed, it has made it look more like a myth and a man who can never be underestimated at one’s peril. This could be attributable to many of his political maneuvers just like when he ran for Speaker without the blessings of his party, the PDP, which was then in power, he found himself at odds with the party’s ‘Mr. Fix it,’ Chief Tony Anenih and a powerful gang that included Senator Anyim Pius Anyim and then National Chairman of the party, Dr. Haliru Bello, yet Tambuwal triumphed and became the preferred candidate for the position of Speaker beating Hon. Mulikat Adeola-Akande, by 252 to 90 votes.

Interestingly, since Tambuwal led the legislature to rebel against the government of President Goodluck Jonathan in a rather trying phase of Nigeria’s democracy, the Senator elect’s life has been a masterclass in neutralising political opponents and threats. More so, from a branch of government that had thrived as a rubber stamp, his tenure as Speaker of the House of Representatives dignified the law-making chamber. Those who feared his downfall before the end of the tenure instead seemed like a risky political position; the rebellion made him a national hero and paved the way for a change of government.

He not only served out his tenure but crossed the carpet to the then-opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest for the Governorship seat of Sokoto and won. He thereafter dumped the party in 2019 and became a strong contender for the PDPs flag bearer. At the convention of the party in Port Harcourt after several intrigues to install the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, he placed second behind Atiku and pledged his support for the ambition of Atiku and the party to take over government. He returned to Sokoto and was again given the ticket to return as a two-term Governor of the state.

Interestingly, the plot to shut him down in the state began with the APC stalwarts strategising to deploy their members at the State House of Assembly to frustrate the Governor.

Despite investing heavily in this ambition, 18 of the 30 lawmakers in the assembly joined him in the PDP. But this defeat only instigated frustrations and selfish plots to remove him from the Government House. This however appeared possible, at least in theoretical projections, because it was assumed by those who had underestimated him that all the APC governors who rode to power in 2015 did so on the acclaimed uncorrupted stance of President Muhammadu Buhari, and thus, that Buhari’s massive goodwill in the Northwest meant he won’t be returning to the office.

More so, despite their empty threats of stalling Tambuwal’s re-election in 2019, the APC wasn’t prepared to take chances. The heavy presence of military and paramilitary operatives and political thugs mobilised to drive electoral frauds was a sign that the ruling party was prepared for the showdown.

It however seemed that they forgot that they were up against the man who came second in the previously conducted PDP presidential primaries, ahead of heavyweight politicians like former Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. The opponents never took into consideration the fact that he was on his familiar turf, where he had been a grassroots politician, and had been winning elections into the House of Representatives since 2003.

Tambuwal’s defeat of the ruling party’s candidate, Ahmad Aliyu, to emerge the winner in a hotly contested exercise was a myth for his opponents and the legion misled to perceive him as a featherweight despite his intimidating political record. Even though the margin of victory was only 342 votes, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), he defeated the ruling party in their so-called stronghold and despite Buhari’s coattail makes him the maestro of political twists.

His political history shows an intriguing pattern. He took on a series of Goliaths and yet neutralised them without grandstanding or tough talks. Perhaps his magnanimity or refusal to deploy media to taunt his opponents contributed to how his political profile keeps being undermined. But what his electoral victories show isn’t luck, they are glaring cases of acceptance by people…..CONTINUE READING