My role in Dogara's emergence as Speaker - Tambuwal

By Abdallah el-Kurebe

Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto state, who is immediate past Speaker of the House of Representatives on Monday, gave a full account of the intrigues that led to the endorsement and eventual emergence of Hon. Yakubu Dogara as the new Speaker of the House.

‎He spoke for the first time in Sokoto when he received leaders of Sayawa Community of Bogoro and Tafawa Balewa Local Government Areas of Bauchi State, who paid him appreciation visit for supporting Dogara to become Speaker.

Tambuwal said that  competence, rather than any other reason, led to the endorsement of Dogara by eight out of ten members of the body of Principal Officers of the 7th Assembly in the election that pitched Dogara against the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The governor stressed that the survival of the legislature as an important arm of government makes it imperative that competent hands are head-hunted to be its leaders.

According to him, "Eight of the ten members of the Body of Principal Officers in the last Assembly supported Dogara's aspiration. Only Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and Hon. Datti Ahmad supported Femi.

"I have strong affinity with Hon. Femi. He was closer to me than Dogara. But when talking about leadership and collective decisions, sentiments have to be put aside. I am not here to tell you that my support made Dogara the Speaker, no. Two things made Dogara to become the Speaker, one is God and two, Dogara's competence.

"The acknowledgement of Dogara's competence did not start during time. It started from the time of Hon. Patricia Etteh and Hon. Dimeji Bankole when they entrusted him with a sensitive position of the Chairman of House Services Committee.

"The committee is one of the most sensitive in the legislature. Apart from taking care of the welfare of members, the committee oversees all procurement processes. As the Speaker, I only did what my predecessors did by giving Dogara this sensitive position.

"No person, as far as I know, has ever served as chairman of the House Services committee in two dispensations. Dogara broke that jinx. All through my tenure, I brought Dogara close to me because I found in him a person who is competent, accommodating, and with capacity to lead.

"Anyone doubting Dogara's ability to lead, should ask members of the 7th Assembly how he handled their matters. So we supported Dogara not for any reason but because he was competent to deliver on any task given to him," he added.

Tambuwal added that the relationship between the people of Sokoto and Bauchi States was amplified in the First Republic when the first Prime Minister of Nigeria, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa worked in harmony with the leader of his party and then Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahamdu Bello.

The paramount ruler of the Sayawa, Gung Zaar (select), Ishaku Komu, who led the delegation commended Tambuwal for reviving the age-long relationship between Bauchi and Sokoto States, saying the entire community will forever be grateful for the confidence reposed in Dogara.

Also, the Executive Secretary of TETFUND, Prof. Sulaiman Bogoro assured that the people of Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro Federal constituency were hard-working and would strive to justify the confidence reposed in their son.