Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, Speaker of the House of Representatives, on Sunday in Abeokuta dismissed as incorrect insinuations that he had ever planned to defect to the All Progressives Congress.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Tambuwal denied the allegation shortly after a closed-door meeting with former President Olusegun Obasanjo at the latter’s residence in Abeokuta.
The Speaker was in the former president’s residence for a meeting which commenced at about 12.30 p.m. and ended at 2.15 p.m. (about two hours later).
Tambuwal, who reaffirmed his membership of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, told newsmen shortly after the meeting that he had come to visit a PDP national leader.
“I have come to visit our PDP national leader. `Baba Obasanjo’ and I are still in PDP,” the Speaker who was accompanied by three of his colleagues, House Minority Leader, Sumaila Kawu, as well as Ajibola Muraina and Aminu Shagari, said.
Tambuwal further explained that he was in Abeokuta to “consult with Obasanjo on matters of national interest.”
“Baba Obasanjo is a leader, not only in Nigeria, but in Africa, and it is only appropriate for us in positions of authority and leadership to occasionally come and consult him on matters of national interest and that is why I am here.
“There are lots of issues in Nigeria today. Of course, there is the issue of Petrol Industry Bill that we are considering in the House, while the Constitution amendment is also ongoing.
“There are many other key and important legislation that are also before the parliament. So, we need to consult our leaders on such important and vital issues, to get inputs from them before we conclude deliberations,’’ he said