Why Jonathan and I oppposed Tambuwal’s emergence as Speaker in 2011 – Obasanj
Isaac Samuel
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday shed light on the political calculations that informed the opposition of himself and then-President Goodluck Jonathan to Aminu Waziri Tambuwal’s emergence as Speaker of the House of Representatives in 2011.
The former President said their position was driven by party considerations and the desire to sustain gender inclusion in Nigeria’s legislative leadership.
Obasanjo spoke at a leadership colloquium and 60th birthday celebration organised in honour of Tambuwal, a former Speaker, ex-governor of Sokoto State and serving senator.
The event, themed around leadership, democracy and nation-building, brought together key figures who played prominent roles during the turbulent period, including, former Senate President David Mark, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Adams Oshiomhole, Kayode Fayemi and Mulikat Akande-Adeola.
Also in attendance at the event were President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, represented by Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro, Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah; former Speakers of the House of Representatives Patricia Etteh and Yakubu Dogara; Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe; Minister of Housing, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa.
Former governors present included ex-governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Aminu Masari (Katsina), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Ibikunle Amosun and Otunba Gbenga Daniel (both Ogun), and as well as former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha and National Secretary of the ADC, Rauf Aregbesola.
Tambuwal, then a second-term lawmaker and former Deputy Chief Whip from the North-West, defeated Akande-Adeola, a Yoruba lawmaker from the South-West, in a keenly contested election.
While his ambition was not supported by the then President Jonathan, Tambuwal polled 252 votes to Akande-Adeola’s 90, out of 340 votes cast.
Crucially, the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), then an opposition party led by Bola Tinubu, directed its members to support Tambuwal. The outcome marked one of the rare occasions in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic when the legislature openly defied executive preference.
Speaking, Obasanjo in a reflective and nostalgic address, confirmed that both he and then-President Jonathan initially opposed Tambuwal’s emergence as Speaker.
He explained that their position was informed largely by a desire to sustain gender inclusion in leadership following the rise of Mulikat Akande-Adeola, whom the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had backed.
“Our thinking was that if, for the first time, a woman had become Speaker of the House, she should be encouraged to remain there.”
The former President, however, said the lawmakers exercised their constitutional independence, insisting on Tambuwal, a decision that tested party supremacy in a democratic system.
“But your members thought otherwise, and you made your decision. And we supported your decision. Initially, even you were not sure of where we would stand, but we stood with you.”
The former president described Tambuwal as a humble leader whose rise demonstrated that legislative authority ultimately rests with elected representatives.
“One thing I saw in you was humility. Greatness that does not include humility is greatness that is hollow. Your greatness is not hollow,” Obasanjo said.
Jonathan, who was president at the time of the contest, spoke virtually and corroborated Obasanjo’s account, admitting that there were issues and disagreements between the executive and the House over the speakership.
“When he was Speaker, I was the President, and we had some disagreements,” Jonathan said. “But one thing I must give to Tambuwal is that members of the House believed so much in him.”
He said the overwhelming support Tambuwal enjoyed among lawmakers demonstrated leadership qualities that many politicians lacked.
“He held the House together. His colleagues always believed in him, and as President then, I appreciated that quality of leadership, even when we disagreed,” Jonathan said.
Perhaps the most dramatic account came from David Mark, then Senate President, who disclosed how Tambuwal and his deputy approached him ahead of the election, virtually conscripting him into their political rebellion.
“They came to me and said, ‘Sir, whether you like it or not, you are adopting us as your sons,’” Mark recounted.
“They told me clearly that whether the President and the party wanted them or not, they would emerge Speaker and Deputy Speaker and that I would sponsor them.”
Mark said the situation placed him in an awkward position, caught between party loyalty and legislative autonomy.
On the eve of the election, he admitted, he deliberately ignored pressure from the PDP leadership to locate Tambuwal.
“For once, Mr President, I disobeyed you,” Mark said, drawing laughter and applause from the audience.
He described Tambuwal as deeply trusting and politically courageous, saying the 2011 contest ultimately strengthened Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said he cut short a vacation abroad to attend the event, describing Tambuwal as “a leader in the making” and one of the figures Nigeria should look to for future leadership.
“We are celebrating a remarkable Nigerian leader,” Atiku said. “We hope he will live up to the prayers and expectations of Nigerians.”
Former Anambra State governor Peter Obi described Tambuwal as a bridge-builder committed to consensus, justice and national unity, urging him to use his experience to continue reconciling differences in Nigeria.
“He is a man deeply committed to the unity of this country and to building consensus for development,” Obi said.
Former Edo State governor and ex-APC National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole praised Tambuwal’s management of a diverse and politically fragmented House.
He recalled how the former Speaker personally visited him to commiserate after the death of his wife.
Akande-Adeola, Tambuwal’s rival in the 2011 contest, dismissed lingering narratives of animosity, urging Nigerians to stop framing the episode as rebellion.
“Only what God wills comes to pass. Tambuwal has been Speaker and a leader. There is no animosity among us”, She said.
Former Ekiti State governor Kayode Fayemi warned that democracy was in retreat globally, citing coups and democratic breakdowns across Africa, and urged Nigeria to protect legislative independence.
Tambuwal, in his remarks, said Nigeria had reached a critical point where collective action was no longer optional, declaring that the country was in urgent need of salvation from years of missteps and poor governance.
He said the current state of the nation was deeply troubling and far removed from the ideals and aspirations of its founders, noting that the situation had disappointed not only conscientious citizens alive today but even those who had laboured in the past to build the country.
According to him, national recovery would only be possible if Nigerians were honest enough to admit that something was fundamentally wrong with the way the country was being run.
Tambuwal stressed that rescuing Nigeria must rise above personal ambition, ethnic sentiment or party politics, arguing that while political parties were expected to articulate programmes for development.
He warned that certain practices must end, particularly the tendency of individuals to gain access to public office only to impose successors who were worse than themselves, saying such actions continued to undermine democracy and institutional growth.
