In about three weeks, President Goodluck Jonathan will inaugurate the 7th National Assembly after the life of the present assembly expires on June 5. Shortly after the inauguration, members are expected to carry out their first official duty – election of leadership.
With conflicting interests, this ritual has hardly been rancour free since the beginning of this dispensation in 1999. But this year’s leadership contest, particularly for the House of Representatives, presents even more daunting challenges for the House itself, the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Presidency.
First, the ruling party is reported to have zoned the speakership to the South West geopolitical zone after agreeing to retain existing leadership structure. This is in spite of the dismal performance if the party in the region during the National Assembly elections. Only five elected members, all from Oyo State, are of the PDP. Two ranking members from the state – Rep Mulikat Adeola and Rep Ajibola Muraina – are hoping to replace the outgoing speaker. Both are Muslims. In previous sessions of the assembly, candidates ostensibly supported by the Presidency and the party presented the basis for dispute rather than the zoning pattern itself. This time, both are in contention.
Stakeholders in the South East feel disgusted with the arrangement, preferring to be given the position of Speaker. Several caucuses in the zone have spoken bitterly. Few days ago, chairman of the political committee of the Igbo socio-cultural organisation – Ohaneze Ndigbo – described the sharing formula as “disgusting and unacceptable” against the background of the total support which President Jonathan and the PDP got in the region.
If the South East eventually wins its agitation, there are capable ranking members like Rep Emeka Iheodioha, Rep Ezeuiche Ubani and Rep Emeka Bethel Amadi who could take a shot at the job.
But more worrying for the PDP leaders is, perhaps, the group in the House, consisting mainly members-elect from the North and some allies from other regions who insist that the zoning formula be jettisoned to allow members choose any competent colleague with the capacity to deliver. Members of this group who are supporting the candidacy of Deputy House Leader Aminu Tambuwal believe that PDP’s zoning has long gone with the nomination of Jonathan as the party’s presidential candidate in contravention of it’s agreement which supposedly gave to the North up to 2015.
After the meeting in Obudu Cattle Ranch where the decision to retain the present zoning arrangement was taken, there was a caucus meeting in Abuja which was believed to have blessed the plan. But there still appears to be trouble ahead, which is why after the meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC), the party has been unable to call for NEC. It must get the support of majority stakeholders before it goes to NEC to avoid embarrassment. But suppose NEC votes in favour of the plan, will the members toe the same line?
Ranking member of the group who prefers not to be named said there is no going back. “We will not blink. We’ll rather be defeated on the floor,” he said. Conversely, both aspirants from the South West believe that PDP’s position has put to rest question of where the speaker will emerge. With these tightly held positions, the coast is not yet clear for any of the aspiring members, which is why horse trading continues to intensify among stakeholders, in and outside the House, to sail through their considered positions.
For now, the three ranking members mentioned earlier, Rep Ajibola Muraina, Rep Mulikat Adeola and Rep Aminu Tambuwal, are considered front liners in the race for Speaker. The trio are ranking members, therefore qualified to vie for the office of Speaker in accordance with the House’ Standing Rules.
Rep Muraina
A lawyer by training, Muraina is widely known as the candidate of former President, Olusegun Obasanjo. He has purportedly been endorsed by the South West caucus of the party and in view of his connection with Obasanjo, his candidature is said to have received the blessing of President Jonathan. But his link with the former president is also his undoing in the circumstance. Since he left office in 2007, many PDP members who went through his dictatorial regime in the party have been making concerted effort to cut down the influence of the former president. There are also those who believe that he laid the foundation for the political turmoil in the last four years.
Muraina is also believed to be one of the political godsons of late Lamidi Adedibu, the erstwhile godfather of Ibadan politics who enjoyed Obasanjo’s unfettered friendship. Many interest groups also recall that as member of the power committee of the House that investigated alleged scandal in the power sector during the Obasanjo regime, he wrote the minority report which exonerated the former president. So it appears it is payback time. But those who were angry with his minority report also see this as an opportunity to pay him back in his own coins. Daily Trust learnt that when Muraina was in Akure yesterday to ask for support from his colleagues, mainly from the North, who have been holding induction course, he was given cold reception. But he still counts on the support of the PDP and the Presidency. Whether the party will convince the members to crown him is another question.
Born in Igbo-Ora on September 1, 1993, Muraina holds a Master’s degree in law from the University of Abuja. He is also a member of the Nigerian Bar Association. He was first elected into the House in 2007 and one-time chairman of Ibarapa local government council. He has also served as legal adviser of many political parties including UNCP and ANPP.
Rep Mulikat Adeola
A second termer in the House, Rep Mulikat was elected in 2007 to represent Ogbomoso North, South and Orire federal constituency of Oyo State. The incumbent deputy chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary is one of the 15 women who made it to the 7th House. Barring the challenge from the northern members, Adeola is hoping to reap from the disadvantages identified with Muraina. She is said to have the sympathy of ACN members from the South West and also counting on the support of members from the North if they eventually back down on their bid to scuttle the party’s arrangement.
Also a member of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mulikat Adeola has a cosmopolitan outlook. She was born in the northern city of Kaduna in 1960 and speaks Hausa. Adeola is also counting on the support of many women organisations who insist that at least one of the first four leadership positions be given to a woman. President Jonathan had earlier promised to implement 35% affirmative action.
But some members are said to be sceptical of having a woman speaker especially given the dismal performance of Rep Patricia Eteh in the first few months of the Sixth House. But some also reason that her pedigree cannot be compared to Eteh’s who was simply imposed by Obasanjo. Speaking to newsmen at the weekend in Abuja, Mrs. Adeola said “I won’t be an Eteh.”
Rep Aminu Tambuwal
Rep Tambuwal is the current Chief Whip of the House of Representatives. He represents Kebbi/Tambuwal federal constituency and is considered as the think tank of the Bankole leadership. He is reckoned with the ability to provide direction and commands tremendous respect from members. Though he is from the North West as the Vice President, another position on the zoning table. Tambuwal leads a group of lawmakers who believe that zoning must be jettisoned to give way for members to elect their leaders on the basis of merit and popularity. His biggest obstacle is his party’s zoning arrangement which conceded the position to the South West. How far the internal movement to make him speaker will go remains to be seen in the coming weeks.
Tambuwal was born on October 1, 1966. He is an alumnus of Uthman Danfodio University Sokoto, Havard University and Kennedy School of Government. Like the two other aspirants, Tambuwal is also a member of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). In addition, he is a member of the American Bar Association (ABA) as well as the International Bar Association (IBA).
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