Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal
After months of pussyfooting over the trajectory of his political future, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, finally dropped his bid for the presidency on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing “sacrifice for the cohesion and unity of the APC” and because he does not have any “inordinate ambition” to occupy any office.
Tambuwal, for months, had toyed with contesting for either the presidency or the governorship post in his home state, Sokoto.
In furtherance of this objective, he consulted widely with critical stakeholders but remained silent on the issue until the eve of his departure from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC, when he said that he would enter the Sokoto governorship race.
However, a few days later and possibly buoyed by the outpouring of support from sections of the public, which kicked against the presidency’s attempt to remove him as speaker and the withdrawal of his security aides by the Inspector General of Police, Tambuwal started to flirt with the possibility of contesting for the presidency.
Indeed his romance with the presidential contest was given a boost last week when his colleagues in the House picked up the presidential nomination and expression of interest forms from the APC, which he accepted.
However, in a speech by the speaker on Tuesday, Tambuwal said he reached the decision to distance himself from the presidential contest after concluding wider consultations with elders of the APC and taking into consideration the vastness of the country’s political space.
“Having consulted widely, taking into consideration the concerns of some elders of the party, I have decided to suspend my participation in the presidential contest for now.
“I have done so as a sacrifice for the cohesion and unity of the APC. I am suspending my participation in the presidential race for now because I do not have any inordinate ambition to occupy any office.
“Nigeria is a country too great to sacrifice on the altar of partisan politics and personal ambition. What anyone becomes in life is exclusively in the hands of God. Only God gives power to whoever he pleases,” said Tambuwal.

Tracing the evolution of his recent political forays to Friday, November 14, 2014, when a group of his colleagues presented him with the expression of interest and nomination forms to participate in the presidential primaries of the APC, he contended: “My entry into the presidential race at this point may necessitate having to rework some equations on the political chessboard of the party.”
Consequently, he pledged his loyalty to the APC, former military Head of State, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari; former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Governors Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and Rochas Okorocha, and Mr. Sam Ndah- Isaiah, all of whom he described as “eminently qualified” to run for the position of president.
He said although he was “fully prepared, ready, willing, determined, available and armed with the requisite plans, programmes and ability to undertake the great mission of rescuing our dear country from the clutches of institutionalised corruption, gross incompetence, greed and divisiveness” among others, he would plough his energy into supporting the APC.
“I am convinced that with the progressive spirit and teamwork these objectives are attainable under an All Progressive Congress (APC) administration.
“I came into the APC to enhance and build. Therefore in the interest of our great party the APC and indeed in the overriding national interest I wish to appeal to all my associates, colleagues, supporters, admirers and friends nationwide to show some understanding.
“It has not been easy coming to this decision and I very well understand the frustration, disappointment and disbelief of many who have committed so much to the project including sacrificing not only their physical, financial and intellectual resources but indeed their personal ambitions in the 2015 electoral contest.”

Having stepped down his presidential bid, Tambuwal is expected to focus squarely on the governorship race in his state
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