A National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu, has successfully arranged a meeting of APC returning and elected members of the House of Representatives with President Muhammadu Buhari for Tuesday.
This move, it was gathered, is a bid to actualise Tinubu’s desire to have his political godson, Femi Gbajabiamila to be the speaker of lower chamber.
A member of the National Working Committee who preferred anonymity because of the sensitivity surrounding the issue, the meeting was planned by Tinubu and the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomole in order to secure the endorsement of President Buhari for Gbajabiamila.
The source said that this plot, tagged: “Baba’s endorsement” would shut out the North Central zone that is agitating for the Speakership position if eventually secured.
It was gathered that the decision to meet Buhari for his support was reached in a meeting held in Tinubu’s residence last week.
Inspite that the Southwest geopolitical zone already secured the Vice President’s position, the “zone” that came fourth by the number of votes from geopolitical for the APC is also being pushed for “speakership” as against the North Central geopolitical zone that came third and has never produced leadership of the House of Representatives in 20years.
Already, Oshiomhole has been able to secure an appointment for the APC returning and elected members of the House of Representatives to have a “dinner” with President Buhari on Tuesday.
Invitation to the dinner termed “joint NWC/members of the House of Representatives dinner with Mr. President” was sent out last night.
The invitation card reads: “The National Chairman, comrade Adams A Oshiomole has the Honour and pleasure to cordially invite Members of the National Working Committee and APC Returning and Elected Members of the House of Representatives to a dinner with Mr. President.”
According to the invitation issued on behalf of Oshiomhole by his Director of Admin, Abdullahi Yusuf Gashua, the dinner will hold at Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Invitees are to arrive at 7:15pm while the dinner will start at 7:30.
The NWC member said,“As it was done in the case of Senator Ahmed Lawan, Oshiomhole will just announce at the dinner that the Speakership position has been zone to the Southwest and Gbajabiamila has been chosen.
“Not minding the fact that no meeting has been held by the National Working Committee (NWC) to zone National Assembly positions, Oshiomhole will make the announcement as the position of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), giving no room for other members of the NWC to speak.
“Thereafter, some selected returning members of the House of Representatives will be made to speak in support of the arrangee endorsement.
“Even though Tinubu and Oshiomhole are not unmindful of this plot being against the words and letters of our party’s constitution, especially regarding to fair and even distribution of positions, they are hellbent in pushing it through because of his (Tinubu) 2023 Presidential ambition.
“This same desperate ambition of Tinubu to be President cost us States like Imo, Oyo, Rivers and may cost us Zamfara State. It almost cost us Ogun State when Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s candidate was denied ticket and we must thread carefully so that the ambition of one man does not cost us the National Assembly leadership.”
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