Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has explained the political considerations behind the opposition by himself and then-President Goodluck Jonathan to Aminu Waziri Tambuwal’s emergence as Speaker of the House of Representatives in 2011.
Obasanjo said their position at the time was guided by party interest and the desire to sustain gender inclusion in the leadership of the National Assembly.
He spoke on Saturday at a leadership colloquium and 60th birthday celebration organised in honour of Tambuwal, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, ex-governor of Sokoto State and current senator.
Reflecting on the events that preceded the 2011 Speakership election, Obasanjo said the Peoples Democratic Party had backed Mulikat Akande-Adeola, a lawmaker from the South-West.
“Our thinking was that if, for the first time, a woman had become Speaker of the House, she should be encouraged to remain there,” Obasanjo said.
Tambuwal, then a second-term lawmaker and former Deputy Chief Whip from the North-West, however, defeated Akande-Adeola in a keenly contested election, polling 252 votes against her 90 out of 340 votes cast.
Despite opposition from the executive arm, lawmakers insisted on Tambuwal’s emergence, a development Obasanjo said underscored the legislature’s independence.
“But your members thought otherwise, and you made your decision. And we supported your decision. Initially, even you were not sure of where we would stand, but we stood with you,” he added.
The former President described Tambuwal as a humble leader whose rise demonstrated the autonomy of the legislature.
One thing I saw in you was humility. Greatness that does not include humility is greatness that is hollow. Your greatness is not hollow,” Obasanjo said.
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