- APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has allegedly opposed his wife's ambition to become deputy Senate president
- Senator Oluremi Tinubu had recently said that she would like to become deputy Senate president in the 9th National Assembly
- It was gathered that the APC leader was keen to ensure Femi Gbajabiamila becomes the speaker of the House of Representatives than to allow his wife to become deputy Senate president
Former Lagos state governor and national leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has reportedly opposed his wife Senator Oluremi's ambition to become deputy Senate president in the 9th National Assembly.
Daily Independent reports that Tinubu is more interested in Lagos state producing the incoming speaker of the House of Representatives, a position Femi Gbajabiamila, the incumbent majority leader of the House of Reps, is seriously eyeing.
Legit.ng gathered that credible sources said it was impossible for Lagos state to produce both the deputy Senate president and the speaker of the House of Representatives in the same dispensation.
READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda
It was learnt that Tinubu’s efforts to ensure Gbajabiamila's emergence as the speaker in the current dispensation hit a brick wall when the lawmakers, in concert with their colleagues in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), elected Yakubu Dogara, the incumbent speaker, to lead them.
According to the newspaper, an elected member of the House of Representatives was quoted to have said that Tinubu was leaving no stone unturned in ensuring that what happened in June 2015 when the National Assembly elected their leaders did not repeat itself.
“Yes, the desire of Senator Oluremi Tinubu for the deputy Senate president position is real, given her experience as a ranking female lawmaker, but it is also clashing with the desire of her husband to ensure Lagos state produces the speaker of the House of Representatives.
READ ALSO: I cannot dabble into Kano governorship election - Tinubu declares
“It is likely that the APC will zone the speakership position to the southwest as they did in 2015, and our preferred candidate is Femi Gbajabiamila, the current majority leader.
“Asiwaju (Tinubu) is not really keen about his wife becoming the deputy Senate president as this may jeopardise his desire to have Gbajabiamila occupy the position of speaker.”
Another party chieftain also said Tinubu had not discussed the issue of Senator Oluremi’s ambition with them, adding that “it is not feasible”.
“He is more interested in Lagos producing the speaker. As it stands, Remi Tinubu’s ambition to become deputy Senate president is not feasible,” the party chieftain said.
READ ALSO: I cannot dabble into Kano governorship election - Tinubu declares
In a related development, Prince Tony Momoh, a former minister of transport, on Tuesday, March 19, said President Muhammadu Buhari would not interfere in the process of choosing leadership positions in the incoming National Assembly.
Momoh, one of the national leaders of the ruling APC, said it was unfair for anyone to try to decide for the legislative arm of government its leaders when, by the constitution, they were an independent arm of government.
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that the national leader of the All Progressives Congres, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, denied travelling to Kano with the aim of meddling in the governorship election recently declared inconclusive in the state.
NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have upgraded to serve you better.
2019 elections: Do you still trust INEC to conduct fair elections? - Nigerians speak| - on Legit TV
Source: Legit.ng