Tinubu may delay NASS proclamation over Akpabio, Abbas

Following the crisis trailing the zoning of principal officers of the 10th National Assembly by the All Progressives Congress, APC’s National Working Committee, NWC, there are strong indications that the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu may delay the inauguration.

It was also gathered that Tinubu is not happy with the APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu for allegedly instigating lawmakers-elect to reject his preferred candidates for the Senate President and Speakership positions.

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress, APC, during the week, anointed former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio as the Senate President of the 10th Assembly, while Mr Tajudeen Abbas from Kaduna State has also been named as the Speaker of the House.

Meanwhile, Vanguard was reliably informed by multiple sources that following the rejection of both Senator Godswill Akpabio and Mr Tajudeen Abass, opposition parties are expected to meet in Uyo next week to strategise on how to perfect their plans of producing the next Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The President-elect, on Wednesday, left Nigeria for Europe on a working visit.

In a statement signed by his media aide, Tunde Rahman, Tinubu will use the opportunity of the trip to finetune the transition plans and programmes, and his policy options with some of his key aides without unnecessary pressures and distractions.

A source, who spoke with Vanguard in confidence, on the plan to delay the proclamation of the National Assembly by the president, said:

“The game plan of those opposed to the zoning arrangement is known to us on this side; we know how they are discussing with even the opposition to corner the leadership to themselves.

“There is no way they can succeed but we will not rest until we achieve the main goal we are eyeing. The worst is that the president will delay the proclamation of the National Assembly until such a time that we get the required support and numbers to install the leadership that can work without friction with the new president. ”

“For a fact, there is no law biding the president on a specific date and numbers of days for the proclamation and we will ensure all those recalcitrant members are brought on board.”

Another source, within the Tinubu camp, disclosed that the President-elect is not comfortable with the “uncooperative attitude” of the APC National Chairman, Senator Adamu, who is accused of instigating lawmakers-elect to reject his candidates

The source, who is a ranking member of the party, said: “Apart from that we are very much aware of all that the national chairman has been doing in the last four or so weeks. He has demonstrated non chalance and implicitly uncooperative attitude since the discussions commenced.

“Here is a man who was into the whole game since it started and here, the same man coming clandestinely to incite some senate presidential and house speakership aspirants to revolt against the president-elect’s decision which he took in the interest of the party and Nigeria.

“All we know is Adamu Abdulahi is a mole in this great party and must be shown the way out because we cannot trust him. We have so many reasons for this if we delay a little more than necessary, we may be having issues from May 29. We must find a solution to this menace called Adamu.

“How can a man who leads a party provide weapon and tool for the opposition to fight the ruling party under the guise of aggrieved aspirants to leadership positions in the National Assembly. As it stands, we are more than convinced that he is a mole.”

Opposition parties strategise in Uyo next week

“And I must shock you; this man is already aware that the PDP and other opposition parties are going to Uyo for a retreat and the purpose of that trip is to map out strategies on how our party will be humbled during g the inauguration of both Chambers.”