The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has concluded plans to select the remaining members of his leadership team along lines recommended by the ruling party, NEXT has learnt.
Sources say Mr Tambuwal and his deputy, Emeka Ihedioha, whose emergence as presiding officers ruined the zoning formula of the Peoples Democratic Party in the House, decided to make further amends by making sure the south-west and the north-east produced two of the principal officers of the House. They had earlier apologised for disobeying the zoning arrangement of the party.
In PDP's original plan for the House, the aforementioned zones were to produce the speaker and deputy speaker respectively. However, the sudden emergence of Mr Tambuwal and Mr Ehedioha from the north-west and south- east zones messed up that arrangement to the annoyance of the party.
Although the House, like the Senate, went on recess shortly after the election of Mr Tambuwal, the Speaker and his deputy together with a few members of his caucus have been busy with plans to allocate leadership positions before the resumption of sitting on June 28.
Sources close to the Speaker said he had been concerned with ensuring that agreements reached at a reconciliation meeting with the National Working Committee of the party on July 8th were implemented early enough to show good faith.
In that meeting, held at the party headquarters, Abuja, and brokered by Senate President David Mark, the party directed the new speaker to ensure that the two zones were duly compensated with leadership positions in order to balance the power sharing formula.
In plotting the selection of the remaining principal officers, therefore, sources say the Speaker and his team have made preparations to ensure that Mulikat Adeola-Akande, who was the party's candidate for Speaker, emerges the Chief Whip, while a member from the north east, Bawa Isiaka from Taraba State who had vied for the deputy speakership is to be made the new Leader of the House. Both selections, like others been made for the rest offices, are expected to be approved by the committee of the whole (House) after resumption of plenary at the end of this month.
It is not clear if the Speaker has since communicated its decision to the party or whether the choices met with the approval of the PDP hierarchy, which had insisted on being on the loop during any subsequent selection of the principal officers in the House.
Cat and mouse game
The party had earlier threatened Mr Tambuwal and his deputy with sanctions, but said all was forgiven at the last reconciliation meeting when both members made their plea. Recently, when asked if the party was still angry with him, Mr Tambuwal told reporters, "That was before, not now."
Analysts however say the party may yet pull the rug under the feet of the duo, considering the manner the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission stepped up investigations into the role of other members of the leadership of the previous assembly over contract inflation. Dimeji Bankole had, in one of his statements to the anti-graft agency, allegedly indicted Mr Tambuwal who was a member of that leadership.
Meanwhile many of the members, especially those returning, have been hanging around the Assembly to position themselves for early stake at the offices which are inadequate for the 360 members.
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