Date Published: 06/06/11

House Speaker: Members Defy Jonathan, PDP, Elect Tambuwal
…As Mark and Ekweremadu return As Senate President and Deputy

Aminu Tambuwal, New Speaker House of Representatives

Rebellious members Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the new House of Representatives, today defied strings of warnings from President Goodluck Jonathan and the top brass of the party, as they elected former Deputy Chief Whip, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, , as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, PDP, Imo State, former Chief Whip will emerge as Deputy Speaker. Both Tambuwal and Ihedioha are members of the former Speaker Dimeji Bankole’s kitchen cabinet and they both benefitted from the controversial N10 Billion loan.

Tambuwal’s emergence means the House has dumped the zoning formula for the position of speaker.

In the senate however, it was a no contest as immediate past, David Mark and his deputy , Ike Ekeremadu coasted home without no hassles. Both had been endorsed by the party. Aside from that Mark had spent tons of millions of naira to kick aside any opposition.

Tambuwal was nominated by Nnena Ukeje PDP , ( Abia), while Akande-Adeola was nominated by Bethel Amadi.

Pointblanknews.com source at the National Assembly hinted that there was a thunderous applause when Waziri-Tanbuwal was nominated. However, the PDP, it was learnt had fashioned a way to check the anti zoning bloc. The Clerk who is presiding has insisted all those voting should indicate their names , constituency and party at the back of the ballot paper, which is contrary to the House rules.

The House on May 17, amended it's rules to pave way for the election of it's officers to be done through the open-secret ballot system. But the pro zoning representatives turned to the court having failed to reverse the voting procedure on the floor of the House. They prayed the court to order a suspension of the amended voting procedure . Voting hitherto was done through electronic voting in which votes can be identified. Justice Gabriel Kolawole threw out the request .

President Jonathan had during his retreat warned against what he tagged disloyalty and indiscipline while party acting chairman, Haliru Bello said the PDP " will no longer condone indiscipline .