Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal who has declared to run for president in 2023, is prodding his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to jettison zoning arrangement and concentrate on wrestling power from the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the general election, as Nigeria is in dire straits.
Speaking during a meeting with former Presiding Officers of the State Assemblies and House of Representatives in Abuja on Tuesday, Tambuwal, chairman of the PDP governors forum, said that under the leadership of the APC, ‘’the economy has become bad, national unity is poor and insecurity has worsened.’’ As a result, he is urging his party to place winning the election above zoning, arguing that the PDP has a reputation for balancing diversity.
Tambuwal narrated how during his time as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, they made Dr. Goodluck Jonathan acting president. He said Muslim-Muslim and Christian – Christian tickets are dead on arrival.
According to Tambuwal “When it was time for the House of Representatives to go along with the Senate on the issue of the doctrine of necessity that made Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan President, my brother and friend, Dimeji Bankole was not willing to do so. My brother and friend, Senator Dickson Seriake who was leading the squad for ex-President Jonathan to be made acting president was doing it the wrong way.
“There was tension and almost chaos in the house of representatives. And we called Dickson. I sat him down. I said Dickson, if you go through that route of raising sentiments, this thing will not fly. Let’s look at it objectively, speak about Nigeria and how to save our country. If you agree, take the backseat. I am the principal officer from the northwest zone of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. We are very aware of the situation of the country. So let me drive it and let me see who that person is that will have more affinity and affiliation to President Yar’Adua than myself, the principal officer from the zone,’’ he stated.
Tambuwal disclosed that he drafted the motion that made Jonathan acting president, saying the former Speaker of House of Representatives, Demeji Bankole was emotional.
He continued “I said look Mr speaker, it’s about this country and we must do the right thing. I brought out the motion. I said this is the motion. I drafted it. So please, allow this to go. And that was how the motion for the doctrine of necessity was passed in the House”.
Tambuwal who urged PDP to accept the reality on the demand for the party’s zoning formula said “after we win, we can then say okay, let’s share power. Win election first, don’t win zoning. Win the election and then we’ll come and share power because the President and the Vice President cannot come from the same zone. They cannot even come from the same religion”.
He insisted that demographics, intra-party wrangling was rife in the All Progressives Congress (APC), voter education and others will determine the 2023 general election.
He said, ‘’Demography is an issue, that is why after the election I appealed to the PDP to study the outcome of previous elections as we proceed to 2023″.
