Disappointed by Sule Lamido, Obasanjo switches to Tambuwal for presidency Former President Olusegun Obasanjo appears to have given his nod to the rumoured presidential ambition of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, ahead of the 2015 election. Tambuwal is believed to be nursing a yet-to-be -declared presidential ambition, which could see him challenge President Good;luck Jonathan in 2015. The former President who was edged out of PDP is fighting had to ensure Tambuwal gets the APC ticket, where he is the navigator. The former President is also believed to have pooled local and international Finances for Tambuwal. Though yet to convince APC National leader, Bola Tinubu, Obasanjo is said to have consulted him and other Yoruba leaders. Sources say that Obasanjo is however disturbed by Tambuwals reluctance to resign from PDP and the Speakership of the House of Representatives. This snag is caused by the fact that Tambuwals controls several billions, which he uses to fund his activities and enjoy privileges. Tambuwal though an undeclared APC member is afraid of losing this source of funding. The Speaker had flagged off consultations in recent months and had met leaders, including Obasanjo, and former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida. Sources told the Sunday Tribune that when Tambuwal visited Obasanjo at his Abeokuta Hilltop mansion recently, the former President was unequivocal in his support for the Speaker. The former President was quoted as saying “Tambuwal, go ahead and contest the presidency in 2015. I am behind you.” Though the Speaker’s spokesman, Mallam Imam Imam, has insisted that the Speaker is still consulting over his ambition come 2015, the Speaker’s body language appears to be tilting towards presidential contest on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). It was also confirmed that the Speaker had recently consulted Babangida and former Head of State, General Abdusalami Abubakar, on the way forward in 2015. Sources however confirmed that only Obasanjo gave an express permit to Tambuwal, while the two other leaders were cautious and prayerful. Reports had indicated recently that Tambuwal was set to declare for the 2015 election on the platform of the APC. According to the calculations, Tambuwal is expected to benefit from the goodwill of former Lagos State governor, Senator Bola Tinubu, who is expected to hand over SouthWest voters to Tambuwal at the presidential primaries. It is believed that the likes of General Muhammadu Buhari, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as well as Kano state governor, Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso, would share the votes coming from the Northern states, and bloc votes coming to Tambuwal from the South-West would make him the man to beat at the primaries. The Speaker, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), is however yet to announce his defection to the opposition APC. Tambuwal is not the first speaker to have a presidential ambition. It was a similar story for Masari, Ghali Naaba and Dimeji Bankole. The three former speakers have since lost political relevance.
Posted on: Sun, 21 Sep 2014 13:30:46 +0000
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