{"id":2107,"date":"2013-04-13T23:37:59","date_gmt":"2013-04-13T23:37:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/disnaija.com\/nigerian-newspapers\/2015-jonathan-tambuwal-in-cold-war\/"},"modified":"2013-04-13T23:37:59","modified_gmt":"2013-04-13T23:37:59","slug":"2015-jonathan-tambuwal-in-cold-war","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disnaija.com\/2015-jonathan-tambuwal-in-cold-war\/","title":{"rendered":"2015: Jonathan, Tambuwal in cold war"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u2022 Speaker shuns presidential fleet <\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u2022 IBB\u2019s advice to seek \u2018higher office\u2019 unsettles presidency \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u2022 Okupe:It\u2019s a free world<\/strong><\/p>\n

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The Presidency is poised for war with Speaker Aminu Tambuwal of the House of Representatives over what it perceives as his interest in the 2015 presidential race.<\/p>\n

The seat of power is said to have been \u2018provoked\u2019 by the public encouragement given the Speaker by former military ruler, General Ibrahim Babangida, in Lagos penultimate Saturday, to take a shot at the presidency.<\/p>\n

Babangida, speaking at the Vanguard Man of the Year Awards Nite in Lagos had said: \u201cWhen leaders like Tambuwal deliver on their electoral promises, we advise them to try something higher. For Tambuwal, your guess is as good as mine. Well done.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tambuwal was a guest at the event.<\/p>\n

The Presidency, sources said, is also uncomfortable with the high level of confidence enjoyed by Tambuwal with the opposition that does not see face to face with the ruling PDP (to which President Jonathan and Tambuwal belong).<\/p>\n

Similarly, intelligence reports suggest that Tambuwal\u2019s comments on national issues are in tandem with those of the opposition.<\/p>\n

Although the Presidency and the Tambuwal-led House of Representatives have been locked in a long \u2013standing face off over budget matters, his alleged interest in the 2015 presidential race appears to have turned him into \u2018Enemy N0 1\u2019 in the villa. Some security agencies, it was gathered, have already put him under surveillance.<\/p>\n

This, sources disclosed has forced the Speaker to adopt a \u2018discreet approach\u201d in his movement and activities.<\/p>\n

The strain in the relationship between him and the Presidency has now been fuelled by Gen. Babangida\u2019s comment that he deserves to seek a higher position in the polity.<\/p>\n

According to investigation by our correspondent, loyalists of the President have, in the last one year, picked Tambuwal as a potential threat to the second term ambition in 2015 even when there was no concrete evidence to show that he was interested in the race.<\/p>\n

Sources said that Jonathan had twice taunted Tambuwal to know his mindset on 2015 but on both occasions, the Speaker merely smiled and waved it off.<\/p>\n

A highly-placed source, who spoke in confidence, said: \u201cThe Presidency is uncomfortable with Tambuwal because of what it terms his anti-government attitude. Besides the uncompromising oversight of the House on 2012 and 2013 budgets, the presidency sees the Speaker as working for the opposition.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe advice of Babangida to Tambuwal to go for a \u201chigher office\u201d has unsettled Jonathan and his strategists on the 2015 agenda. The general interpretation is that Tambuwal might be the candidate of the North against Jonathan.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn fact, barely 24 hours after Babangida\u2019s suggestion, two northern governors called Tambuwal to know whether he would seek the presidential ticket on the platform of a party other than the PDP. But the Speaker was just laughing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked why Tambuwal was non-committal to the governors, the source added: \u201cThe Speaker felt the fear of the unknown about 2015 in the Presidency has been recurring. There has been some drama of suspicion, twice, on 2015 between the President and Tambuwal. For instance, during one of the consultative sessions with the National Assembly leaders on 2013 budget at the Presidential Villa, the President drew the President of the Senate, David Mark, closer to himself on the sofa by saying, \u2018after all, we are together in the same party.\u2019 The import was not lost to Tambuwal.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlso during the inauguration of the Eko Atlantic City Project in Lagos, Tambuwal was on hand in Lagos, among other guests, to welcome Jonathan. Upon sighting Jonathan, Tambuwal jokingly said: \u201cYour Excellency, you can see that I came early enough to receive you\u2019, but the President simply told the Speaker, \u2018You came as the presidential candidate of ACN.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cYet, the Speaker has not shown interest in the presidential race. He is still preoccupied with the mandate given to him to lead the House.\u201d<\/p>\n

Investigation showed that another reason the presidency is suspicious of Tambuwal was his remarks on Monday in Abuja that government should be cautious in granting pardon to those who have committed economic and financial crimes.<\/p>\n

Another source added: \u201cThe government regarded Tambuwal\u2019s position as a way of distancing himself from the decision of the National Council of State on ex-Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha. The Presidency was hurt that Tambuwal did not oppose the pardon at the Council of State session.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Speaker\u2019s position also rubbishes security brief that Alamieyeseigha enjoys the backing of Tambuwal. Prior to Tambuwal\u2019s warning, he was sighted at a highbrow hotel on Victoria Island in Lagos with Alamieyeseigha having a breakfast session.<\/p>\n

\u201cActually, Tambuwal was eating alone before Alamieyeseigha tapped him and joined the table for some talks. A South-South governor also teamed up with the duo.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlamieyeseigha and some government officials at the hotel left the table confident that there could be a friend in Tambuwal. But on Monday, Tambuwal lambasted the Presidency on amnesty for corrupt elements. This twist shocked many in the Presidency.\u201d<\/p>\n

On the security surveillance on him, a source said: \u201cThe Speaker knows he is under surveillance, especially on 2015 poll which is not yet on his political card. But he is trying to be careful to avoid being framed up.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, like most public officials now, Tambuwal is hardly using his phone and he runs an unscheduled itinerary known to himself alone.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Speaker also does not use any aircraft in the presidential fleet despite his tight commitments nationwide. He is now more open to some PDP leaders like Chief Tony Anenih and two to three ministers to enable them understand his person. He has told these people that he is not undermining the government or working against President Jonathan.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, however denied any cold war between his principal and Tambuwal.<\/p>\n

Contacted last night, Okupe said: “I am not aware of any cold war between the President and the Speaker. My belief is that there is very obvious separation of powers and activities between the Executive and the Legislature.<\/p>\n

“In terms of bills, there are areas of disagreement when the Executive do send them to the Legislature which do not amount to cold war.” On the recommendation of Tambuwal for a higher office by ex-President Babangida, Okupe said: “Why should the presidency be jittery? If ex-President Babangida recommended the Speaker for a higher office, there are other offices along the ladder. It could be President of the Senate, it could be Vice-President. It does not mean the President of Nigeria.<\/p>\n

“Even if he recommended him for the Presidency of Nigeria, it does not call for being jittery. It is a very free world.”<\/p>\n

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Posted in Nigerian Newspapers. <\/a>A DisNaija.Com<\/a> network.<\/p>\n

Source: The Nation Newspaper<\/p>\n

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