The Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu
Tambuwal, on Monday admitted to
supporting Yakubu Dogara over Femi
Gbajabiamila, to clinch the Speakership of
the House of Representatives.
Mr. Tambuwal, who is the immediate past
Speaker of the House of Representatives, said
Mr. Dogara was more competent and had
better leadership skills.
Mr. Dogara is more competent,
accommodating and more capable to lead
than Mr. Gbajabiamila, Mr. Tambuwal said,
and added “sentiments have to be put aside”.
Messrs Dogara won the election to become
Speaker the 8th House of Representatives
despite stiff opposition from his party, the All
Progressives Congress that supported Mr.
Gbajabiamila.
Speaking for the first time on his role in the
election, Mr. Tambuwal, said “the issue of
competence led eight out of 10 members of
the body of Principal Officers of the 7th
Assembly” to endorse Mr. Dogara.
He said this when leaders of Sayawa
Community of Bogoro and Tafawa Balewa
Local Government Areas of Bauchi State
paid him a “thank you” visit to show
appreciation to him for supporting Mr.
Dogara to become speaker.
Mr. Tambuwal’s admission has now put to
rest speculations on whether he supported
Mr. Dogara or played a neutral role during
the jostling for the nation’s number four
position.
Many had expected Mr. Tambuwal to support
Mr. Gbajabiamila’s bid given the Lagos
lawmaker’s role in his emergence as Speaker
of the 7th Assembly. But ironically, he
supported Mr. Dogara who opposed his
ambition to become Speaker at the time.
But while explaining the reason for his
action, he said, “the survival of the legislature
as an important arm of government made it
imperative that competent hands are
headhunted to be its leaders”.
“Eight out of ten members of the Body of
Principal Officers in the last Assembly
supported Dogara’s aspiration,” he said.
“Only Hon Femi (Gbajabiamila) and Hon
Datti Ahmad supported Femi.”
“I have strong affinity with Hon Femi. He
was closer to me than Dogara. But when
talking about leadership and collective
decisions, sentiments have to be put aside.
I’m not here to tell you that my support made
Dogara the Speaker, no. Two things made Dogara to
become the Speaker, one is God and two, Dogara’s
competence.
He continued, “The acknowledgement of Dogara’s
competence did not start with me. It started from the time of
Hon Patricia and Etteh and Hon Dimeji Bankole when they
entrusted him with a sensitive position of the Chairman of
House Services Committee.
“The committee is one of the most sensitive in the legislature. Apart from taking care of the welfare of members, the committee oversees all procurement processes.
As the Speaker, I only did what my predecessors did by giving Dogara this sensitive position.
“No person, as far as I know, has ever served as chairman of the House Services committee in two dispensations. Dogara
broke that jinx. All through my tenure, I brought Dogara
close to me because I found in him a person who is competent, accommodating, and with capacity to lead.
“Anyone doubting Dogara’s ability to lead, should ask members of the 7th Assembly how he handled their matter.
So we supported Dogara not for any reason but because he
was competent to deliver on any task given to him.”
In his remarks, the paramount ruler of Sayawa, Gung Zaar
(select), Ishaku Komu, thanked Mr. Tambuwal for reviving
the age-long relationship between Bauchi and Sokoto States,
saying the entire community will forever be grateful for the
confidence shown to their kinsman.
Mr. Tambuwal responded, saying, “The relationship
between people of Sokoto and Bauchi States was amplified in the First Republic when the first Prime Minister of Nigeria, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa worked in harmony with the leader of his party and then Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahamdu Bello.”

www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/188141-why-i-supported-dogara-for-speaker-gov-tambuwal.html

AII

nawa ooo...

you supported him to promote northern agenda. all this crap is for the dimwits to believe.

he was never outstanding in the house of assembly,even till now he is yet to make any impact in his new position.

i know fools will tell me its too early to appraise him but they forget that one term or semester is a maximum of 4 months

This is an indictment on femi's person.

On a slighly different note though, I believe femi needs to learn to be his own person. Femi lost out for obvious reason......Tinubu

Mexense:
This is an indictment on femi's person.

On a slighly different note though, I believe femi needs to learn to be his own person. Femi lost out for obvious reason......Tinubu

Seconded!!!