I Regret Tambuwal’s Emergence As Speaker – Jonathan

Less than three month before the 2015 general
elections, President Goodluck Jonathan has revealed
that one of his regrets is the emergence of Alhaji
Aminu Tamuwal as speaker of the House of
Representatives in 2011.
The incumbent President made the statement on
Friday in Ile-Ife, while addressing a day summit,
organised by the Yoruba Concerned Leaders with the
theme: “Nigeria Development: Whither the Yoruba”
extolled the virtues of Yoruba people.
It would be recalled that Tambuwal emerged as the
Speaker of the House of Representatives at the expense
of Mulikat Akande-Adeola, the Peoples Democratic
Party, PDP’s preferred candidate for the position.
Jonathan stated that the inability of Akande-Adeola to
emerge Speaker was caused by some people from the
south west region who “thought otherwise”.
In his own words: “One of the problems I face is the
National Assembly. Our party has arrangement that
when a president and vice president emerge from
different regions, other offices – the Senate President,
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the
party chairman and Speaker of House of
Representatives must come from different geo-political
zones.
“The idea is that when we are to decide, people in
these positions meet with us to decide on crucial
things. In that case we want every geo-politically
zones to be represented in that inner caucus of our
party.
“Last time, it was difficult for me because I insisted
that South West must get Speaker but some of us
within South West didn’t want that because of
personal ambition and I am still suffering for that till
today.
“That is why I am telling our leaders here that this
time around we must work together and ensure that
whatever position that is zoned to South West, we
must get and no one should rob us of it.”
Speaking further at the event that was held at the
Oduduwa Hall in Obafemi Awolowo University,
OAU, Ile-Ife, Jonathan stated that his administration
had been fair to the people of South West .
He added that his administration recognises the strategic
position the South West occupies as regards the
economy of the country.