Political associates and aides of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, have stated that he will not make an open declaration on the pressure being mounted on him by some prominent Nigerians and the opposition to throw his hat in the ring come 2015 general elections.
Tambuwal’s qualities were first brought to national consciousness when former military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida at the recently held 2012 award of Vanguard Newspapers, called on the Speaker to look beyond his current political position and gun for a higher position in 2015.
Babangida, in his argument, said Tambuwal had performed creditably as No. 4 citizen and so it was only natural that he aspires for a higher position – which many Nigerians have translated to be the presidency.
Since then, Tambuwal has been courted by the opposition which has purportedly promised him a ticket on the platform of the APC.
But an associate of the speaker, who did not want his name in print, revealed that Tambuwal had remained indifferent to the 2015 Presidential race despite calls on him to give it a shot.
“Let me tell you categorically that the speaker has never told anyone under heaven that he is interested in the presidential election of 2015. We have discussed this time without number and he is not comfortable with the speculation, especially as this is pitting him against the PDP and the presidency. But what can we do? He has decided to ignore the speculation, yet it has not ceased,” he said.
The source further revealed the Speaker’s shock the day Gen. Babangida raised the issue where he was honoured by the Vanguard Newspapers, saying Tambuwal “was shocked to the marrow but there was nothing he could do. After all he would not stop Gen. Babangida from expressing his views. He even asked his aides to stop giving it any attention”.
