Tinubu to Delay National Assembly Inauguration over Opposition to Preferred Candidates

There are indications that the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly by Nigeria’s President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, may be delayed due to the ongoing crisis within the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC) over the zoning of principal officers.

POLITICS NIGERIA reports that it has been alleged that Tinubu is unhappy with the APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, who is said to have instigated lawmakers-elect to reject Tinubu’s preferred candidates for the Senate President and Speakership positions.

During the week, the NWC anointed Senator Godswill Akpabio, the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, as the Senate President and Tajudeen Abbas from Kaduna State as the Speaker of the House for the upcoming National Assembly.

However, both candidates were rejected, prompting opposition parties to strategise on producing the next Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.

A source within the Tinubu camp revealed that the President-elect is uncomfortable with Senator Adamu’s “uncooperative attitude” and alleged that opposition parties are in discussions to take leadership positions for themselves, Vanguard reports.

“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.”

A source close to the situation suggest that Tinubu may delay the National Assembly’s proclamation to avoid the opposition’s plan to produce the next Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.

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.”

“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.”

Tinubu has left Nigeria for a working visit to Europe, during which he intends to finalize transition plans and programs without distractions.