Gbajabiamila expresses regret for supporting Tambuwal to become speaker against Jonathan's wishes in 2011
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, and Akwa Ibom senator-elect, Godswill Akpabio, have warned incoming members of the National Assembly against inviting the animosity of the President-elect in the election of the presiding officers of the two chambers.
They gave the warning on Wednesday at a meeting with members-elect of the House of Representatives at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja.
Mr Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom, is the choice of Mr Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for Senate president while Tajudeen Abbas from Kaduna State is their choice for Speaker of the House of Representatives.
However, some of their rivals are refusing to step down and are looking towards the members-elect of the minority parties for support. The minority parties have more members combined than the APC in the House.
Recalling his experience in the aftermath of a similar scenario in the past, Mr Gbajabiamila said he regrets his role in the rebellion that brought in Aminu Tambuwal as speaker in 2011 because the then President Goodluck Jonathan dealt with the House for the rebellion.
He warned the newly elected members against rejecting the choice of the ruling party, stressing that his support for Mr Tambuwal turned out to be a major regret for him in 2011.
The APC has also endorsed Ben Kalu from Abia State as the deputy speaker of the House.
Mr Gbajabiamila, who was the minority leader in the 7th House, led the rebellion that supported Mr Tambuwal against the choice of the then ruling party, Mulikat Akande.
"I have been the pioneer of what they call House Project at one time when Tambuwal was the speaker--when we installed Tambuwal. I regret it," Mr Gbajabiamila said.
He directed Mr Abbas, who was also a member of the House Project, to give details of the actions taken by Jonathan's administration to punish the House for the rebellion.
"The incoming speaker will tell you more about the travail and the problems we went through for four years," he said.
Speaking on the events that took place in the aftermath of the election in 2011, Mr Abbas said the then administration punished the lawmakers by paying 50 per cent working allowance and reducing the constituency projects funds.
"Mulikat (Akande), by way of spread, by way of spread, and by way of equity, the PDP zoned the speakership to the South-west. But we went against it because we want to rebel against anything good or bad that the government brings--let us rubbish it. We elected Tambuwal to be our speaker.
"After two weeks of electing Tambuwal, the first blow that came to our faces was a letter written that says 'we will not be able to collect our running cost'. The running cost that you use to manage your office and attend to the need of your constituents, we were told we will only get 50 per cent. That continued for a whole year.
"Since you have embarrassed the government, go and pay for yourself. Go and meet the speaker that you have elected. That was how we paid the debt left by the sixth Assembly. For one year, we had half the running cost.
"The zonal intervention project that each member is entitled to--by the time budget came, we put our interest, what we were supposed to take home by the end of that particular year. We were given only 30 per cent of what was put in the budget. If you have N100 million as your constituency projects, you will get N30 million. That was how the government also punished us," he said.
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Fear God, Gun, and Government--Akpabio
Godswill Akpabio, the endorsed candidate for senate president, made a brief appearance at the meeting. He warned members to always fear three things--God, Gun and Government.
He placed specific emphasis on the government. The message appears to be an attempt by Messrs Akpabio and Gbajabiamila to use fear to sway members to support the candidates of the president-elect, Bola Tinubu.
"Yesterday, I met the party. I actually left a sentence with them or thereabouts. Should I leave the sentence with you? In your daily dealings, my late mother told me that I should be aware of the 3Gs: The first G is God; the second G is Gun and the third G is Government.
"The first G is God Almighty. The second G is what? Gun and the third one is Government. May you conduct yourself mindful of the admonition of my late mother, by respecting the 3Gs, particularly the government," he said.
