TheCable

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says Aminu Tambuwal, speaker of the house of representatives, knows what is “needful and honourable” of him after defecting to the opposition All progressives Congress (APC) from the PDP, on whose platform he was elected.

Although this was not expressly stated, it would appear the PDP expects him to step down from his position.

After Tambuwal announced his defection to APC on Tuesday, the national working committee of PDP convened an emergency meeting.

Issuing a statement at the end of the meeting, Olisah Metuh, the party’s national publicity secretary, said Tambuwal understood the consequences of his defection.

“The national working committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has met with PDP leaders in the house of representatives concerning the defection of the speaker, His Excellency, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal to the APC,” Metuh said in a statement.

“After a thorough consideration of the matter, the NWC came to a conclusion that the Hon. Speaker, as a responsible elected officer, knows full well what is needful and honourable of him since his new party is in the minority.

“We are not unmindful of the fact that Hon. Tambuwal became speaker on the platform of the PDP as the political party with the majority of seats in the house of representatives and that this incontrovertible fact has not changed.”

Metuh had told TheCable earlier that the NWC was meeting with the leadership of the house, the deputy speaker, the majority leader and all the principal officers from PDP and its position would be made public after the meeting.

Tambuwal registered as a member of the APC on October 20, 2014 before formally announcing the move on Tuesday .

Although he was elected as speaker on the platform of PDP, the party was against his speakership ambition back in 2011, instead preferring Mulikat Adeola-Akande, currently the majority of the house.

However, he emerged speaker against the odds after receiving considerable support from the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the mainstay of what has now become the APC.

His defection had been anticipated ever since.