Majority Leader of the House of
Representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, said on Wednesday that he believed God
played a role in the victory of the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, over him and
not any living being.
Gbajabiamila specifically named
the Governor of Sokoto State, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, as not having a hand in the
victory of Dogara.
He advised Tambuwal, the
immediate-past speaker of the House, to stop celebrating Dogara’s victory on
the grounds that he (Dogara) won because the governor supported him.
Gbajabiamila had been touted to
emerge the speaker of the eighth Assembly, but the result of the June 9
election stunned him as Dogara beat him by eight votes to become the number
four citizen of the country.
Tambuwal had kept mute over his
backing for Dogara until Sunday when he opened up in Sokoto State.
He admitted working against
Gbajabiamila, his former close ally, because he saw in Dogara a man with better
leadership qualities.
Tambuwal spoke as he received a
delegation from Dogara’s Bogoro and Tafawa Balewa Local Government in Bauchi
State on a “thank you” visit to the governor in Sokoto.
He said, “Eight out of 10 members
of the Body of Principal Officers in the last Assembly supported Dogara’s
aspiration. Only Gbajabiamila and Datti Ahmad supported Femi (Gbajabiamila).
“I have strong affinity with Femi
(Gbajabiamila). He was closer to me than Dogara. But, when talking about
leadership and collective decisions, sentiments have to be put aside. I am 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.
But in a reaction in Abuja,
Gbajabiamila said as much as Tambuwal tried to pull him to join issues with him
over Dogara’s election, he would not do so.”
He said he considered his victory
as a decision of God and not because Tambuwal backed Dogara.
Gbajabiamila added, “Tambuwal has
finally spoken. I have no issues to join with him as I have moved on.
“As I keep saying, God’s will has
been done not Tambuwal’s will. There is a speaker in place and I intend to
continue to work with him to the best of my ability in moving our country
forward.
“For Tambuwal, I can only wish
him all the best in his future undertakings.”
Copyright PUNCH.
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