Tambuwal ‘mandated’ to reconcile Dogara, Gbaja

Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto state, has been mandated by APC governors to intervene in the house of representatives crisis.

The former speaker is well known to the contending factions led on the one hand by Yakubu Dogara and on the other by Femi Gbajabiamila — and Tambuwal’s “legislative” experience is being called up by the governors.

This was one of the highlights of the progressive governors’ meeting held in Abuja last week to resolve the crisis which saw the house abruptly adjourned till July 21 without appointing its principal officers.

Dogara had defeated Gbajabiamila in the speakership election against the wish of the party hierarchy.

A governor told TheCable: “Tambuwal was speaker for four years and he worked closely with both PDP and APC reps, so he had their respect. He is now a one-man committee as it were. He is to liaise with all the contending factions and report back within two weeks.

“We specifically asked him to work with the house leadership under Dogara and the Gbaja group so that they can come up with names of principal officers that are acceptable to both groups. We believe the respect he enjoys among members will help us put this crisis to bed once and for all.”

This would appear to be a different position from that of the party leadership which had insisted on its instructions being followed.

John Odigie-Oyegun, APC chairman, had written to Dogara asking that Gbajabiamila be made majority leader, Alhassan Ado deputy majority leader, Tahir Monguno chief whip and Pally Iriase as deputy chief whip.