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| The new Speaker House of Representatives, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal |
In the Senate, it was a smooth ride for David Mark and Ike Ekweremadu as they were returned unopposed as president and deputy president respectively.
But in the House of Representatives, the situation was different. Members ignored President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party’s directive to elect Mulikat Akande-Adeola as Speaker, but chose Aminu Tambuwal from Sokoto State (North-West).
Tambuwal, a 45-year-old lawyer, polled 252 votes in a landslide victory while Akande-Adeola , also a lawyer from Oyo State(South-West), polled only 90 votes during the seven-hour election that was dogged by intrigues and drama.
There were 351 votes, out which eight were voided and one member abstained in the open secret balloting. The PDP has 202 lawmakers in the House as against a total of 158 legislators elected on the platforms of other political parties.
The PDP had zoned the position to the South-West and had warned its members not to contest against Akande-Adeola, who is also the preferred candidate of the Presidency and the 26 PDP governors.
Tambuwal, a former Deputy Whip of the House , was one of the leaders of the anti-zoning movement in the House, which later got the support of the majority of the 266 fresh members.
The election of the Sokoto State-born politician deeply embarrassed the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bello Mohammed, and two PDP governors — Timipre Sylva (Bayelsa) and Ibrahim Idris (Kogi State) who witnessed the exercise.
Mohammed had sat in the chamber of the House watching proceedings as the votes were counted by the Clerk, Mr. Sani Omolori. As Tambuwal’s votes swelled to 181 (half of the total 360 members of the House), he walked out in disbelief.
Sylva, who sat close to the row of Akande-Adeola and Idris also left the chamber immediately it became clear that Tambuwal had won.
Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola witnessed the voting and was seen waving his hand as soon as Tambuwal won the poll.
The National Secretary of the party, Usman Baraje, was in company of the chairman but he left midway into the voting.
Investigations showed that “protest votes” contributed to Tambuwal’s victory.
Most lawmakers were reportedly unhappy with what they considered as “the desperation of the PDP leadership to foist a particular candidate” on the House.
The legislators were said to have insisted on having an independent legislature, “possible only by allowing us to elect leaders of our choice.”
Findings also revealed that the majority of lawmakers from the South-East in particular were displeased with the “inconsistency of the PDP over the zoning issue.”
The zone had earlier canvassed for the zoning of the speakership to the area
However, the PDP later zoned the position to the South-West much to the displeasure of the lawmakers from the South-East.
Incidentally, the PDP produced only five members from the South-West, a result which later became a campaign issue.
In their determination to scuttle the party’s plan, lawmakers from the South-East were said to have resolved to vote in protest for Tambuwal.
Although the seat was zoned to the South-West, the majority of opposition party members from the area were also said not to be comfortable with Adeola.
Most of the South-West members, largely from the Action Congress of Nigeria, allegedly struck a deal with Tambuwal to vote for him.
At the end of the collation of votes, Akande-Adeola quickly accepted defeat, as she moved to Tambuwal’s seat to congratulate him as the results were announced.
Led by Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Oyo State-born lawmaker hugged the winner, shook hands with him and also took photographs with him.
The Clerk to the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa, administered the oath of office and oath of allegiance on the new speaker at 4.50pm.
The motion to nominate Tambuwal was moved by Emmanuel Jime from Benue State. He was seconded by Nnena Ukeje from Abia State.
Akande-Adeola was nominated by Bethel Amadi from Imo State. He was seconded by Useni Namadi from Jigawa State.
Ihedioha emerged as the deputy speaker in a dramatic twist to the elections.
Following the defeat of Akande-Adeola, her camp backed out of the race for the deputy speaker.
She was initially billed to pair with Yakubu Dogara from Bauchi State, but the PDP reportedly replaced him with Isiaka Bawa (Taraba State) a few hours to the poll.
However, when nominations were called for names to contest against Ihedioha, the chamber erupted with shouts of “unopposed,” “unopposed.”
Friday Etulah, a member from Edo State, who was expected to nominate Bawa, declined.
He told the House that the camp “consulted and resolved that the nomination of the deputy speaker will be unopposed in the interest of harmony.”
Investigations showed that as part of moves to monitor the voting pattern and the candidate the lawmakers voted for, the ballot paper was designed in such a way that each legislator was required to write his or her name on it.
It was gathered that the measure was to help the party to fish out the “rebellious members” for punishment.
The PDP Vice-Chairman, South-South, Edet Nkpubre, had in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents, on Sunday, said the party would discipline its lawmakers who went contrary to the party’s directive.
Meanwhile, the immediate Speaker of the House, Mr. Dimeji Bankole, has congratulated Tambuwal over his victory.
Bankole, in a statement by his aide, Mr. Kayode Odunaro, described the election as “transparent and keenly contested.”
Bankole said that he could not be part of the ceremonies as he was “being detained by EFCC following his abduction yesterday night (Sunday).”
Mark and Ekweremadu were returned unopposed under the supervision of the Clerk to the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa, who was assisted by the Clerk of the Senate, Ben Efeture.
Former Deputy Majority Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, had moved the motion for the nomination of Mark’s candidacy and was seconded by Smart Adeyemi.
While moving the motion, Ndoma-Egba, recalled Mark’s rise from a military background to becoming the President of the Senate in 2007.
He said Mark possessed the requisite experiences and skills to pilot the affairs of the Senate.
Adeyemi, in supporting the motion, extolled the virtues of Mark, saying that while he led the Sixth Senate, very critical bills were passed, notably the Freedom of Information Bill which was recently assented to by Jonathan.
In the same vein, the nomination of Ekweremadu was moved by Zainab Kure and seconded by Ahmed Lawan.
Calls for other nominations were met with a resounding “no other nomination,” drawing the curtain on any contest for the seats.
In line with the rules of the Senate, once there is no counter nominations, the nominee is deemed to have been elected by the house.
Mark and Ekweremadu were immediately sworn in by the Clerk to the National Assembly after which Mark presided over the oath-taken session of the rest of the senators.
Their inauguration was attended by the leadership of the PDP, governors, wives of the senators and top officials of the Presidency.
Meanwhile, a combined team of security men on Monday prevented most journalists covering the National Assembly from entering the complex to witness the inauguration of the 7th Assembly .
By Niyi Odebode, John Ameh, Fidelis Soriwei and Oluwole Josiah, Abuja Courtesy Of: Punch
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