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Opposition Senators Oppose Tambuwal’s Candidacy As Minority Leader
Opposition Senators have expressed their opposition to Atiku Abubakar’s attempt to impose Aminu Tambuwal as the Senate Minority Leader, citing Tambuwal’s history of betrayal and self-interest, vowing to vote for an alternative candidate.
Senators from minority parties are taking a stand against the Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and his endorsement of former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal as the Senate Minority Leader. These agitated senators refuse to accept Tambuwal’s imposition, drawing parallels to their previous resistance against Godswill Akpabio’s appointment by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Tinubu. A significant number of opposition Senators supported Senator Abdullazeez Yari during the contest for the top position in the Senate.
Opposition Senators’ Concerns
A PDP senator from Rivers State, along with a senator from the North and a ranking senator from the South West, have expressed their opposition to Tambuwal’s candidacy as Senate Minority Leader. Due to the sensitivity of the matter, they chose to remain anonymous while stating their readiness to support any alternative candidate. Their primary concern lies in Tambuwal’s track record of sacrificing his political allies for personal gain, casting doubt on his ability to provide effective leadership as the minority leader.
Resolute Stance
The group of Senators has unanimously resolved to vote for a different ranking Senator rather than the former Sokoto State Governor. They argue that Tambuwal’s actions against the PDP in the past indicate that he may use his position as minority leader to negotiate and seek reconciliation with President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, whom he allegedly betrayed after being appointed Speaker of the House of Representatives.
History Of Betrayal
These Senators are critical of Tambuwal’s political activities over the past decade. They question his trustworthiness, citing instances of treachery and betrayal towards Jonathan, Wike, Tinubu, and others. In 2019, Tambuwal defied the PDP and the incumbent President to disregard the party’s zoning arrangements, favoring his personal interests. He often employs ethnic and religious sentiments to his advantage. When Tambuwal became Speaker with the support of opposition elements, including Tinubu and Buhari, he exploited his position to undermine President Jonathan’s administration and the PDP. He subsequently defected to the APC, becoming governor after negotiating with Buhari, Tinubu, and Wamako. However, Tambuwal’s presidential aspirations within the APC remained unfulfilled, leading to his betrayal of Wamako, Tinubu, and Buhari. He realigned with Atiku and returned to the PDP, hoping to secure the party’s presidential ticket.
Contentious Senate Election
Tambuwal’s senatorial election in Sokoto is currently being contested, as he was eager to enter the Senate with the expectation of being rewarded with the position of Senate President. However, due to the PDP’s failure to secure a majority and the defeat of Atiku and Okowa, the plans changed. As a compensation, Atiku and the PDP sought to appoint him as the minority leader. Opposition Senators are rejecting this proposal, highlighting Tambuwal’s history of treachery, betrayal, and prioritizing personal ambition over party loyalty and friendship.
Alternative Candidate
In light of the opposition to Tambuwal, Governor Wike and his supporters are rallying behind a senator from the north central as an alternative candidate for the position of Senate Minority Leader.
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday adjourned the suit filed by the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, to March 25, 2025.
The adjournment followed a submission by the respondents, who informed the court that they had not been served with the necessary documents.
Akpoti-Uduaghan had approached the Federal High Court, seeking an order restraining the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges from investigating her.
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Delivering a ruling on the application on March 5, 2025, the trial judge, Justice Obiora Egwuatu, barred the committee from proceeding with the probe.
Details shortly…
The Delta State Police Command has arrested two suspected gun runners and recovered a cache of firearms and ammunition.
The arrests were made during stop-and-search operations along the Warri/Benin Road and Asaba/Benin Expressway on separate dates.
On 3rd March, operatives intercepted a Toyota Camry driven by one Peter James, 55, from Akwa Ibom State.
Upon searching the vehicle, they discovered three AK-47 rifles, 2,080 rounds of 7.62mm AK-47 ammunition, and 1,040 rounds of 5.1mm ammunition.
State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, who confirmed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Warri on Monday, said that the suspect was arrested near Western Delta University, Oghara, after operatives intercepted a blue Toyota Camry with registration number PHC 257 NT.
Police arrest 2 suspected gun runners in Delta, recover arms
Police arrest 2 suspected gun runners in Delta, recover arms
“The driver was asked to open the trunk of the vehicle, during which it was observed that the trunk of the said Camry, popularly known as ‘big daddy,’ was unusually small. This aroused the suspicion of the men who were convinced that the vehicle had been modified for malicious purpose.
“The policemen then proceeded and removed the seat of the vehicle, only to discover three (3) AK-47 rifles, Two Thousand and Eighty (2,080) rounds of 7.62 mm AK-47 ammunition, one thousand and forty (1,040) rounds of 51mm ammunition loaded in four boxes.
“The exhibit has been recovered, the suspect is in custody, and investigation is ongoing,” he added.
In a separate operation on 6th March, police arrested Yahuza Magaji, 69, and Abba Sani, 17, from Kaduna State, and recovered seven pump-action guns and 1,600 rounds of live cartridges.
Edafe said that operatives attached to Dragon Patrol Team 02 arrested the suspects while on stop-and-search duty along the Asaba/Benin Expressway by the National Open University, Onicha-Ugbo.
He said that police had intercepted a navy blue Sharon space bus with registration number DKA 408 LM, driven by one Yahuza Magaji, in the company of one Abba Sani, both of Lere LGA in Kaduna State.
“They disguised as traders transporting palm oil and garri, but the police, who insisted on a thorough search of the vehicle, recovered seven (7) pump action guns, five (5) cartons containing one thousand six hundred (1,600) rounds of live cartridges concealed under the back seat of the vehicle.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that suspects bought the arms from Onitsha and were transporting them to Kaduna State. The suspects are in custody, and investigation is ongoing,” he added.
Commenting on the development, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, expressed delight that the marching orders he gave to all tactical commanders, area commanders, and DPOs to up their game were yielding results.
“We are determined to flush out all criminal elements in the state,” said CP Abaniwonda.
“I commend the effort and determination of our men for going the extra mile to detect the hidden firearms,” he said.
The Rivers State House of Assembly has issued a warrant for the Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), Justice Adolphus Enebeli (rtd), to appear before it.
The Martins Amaewhule-led Assembly issued the arrest warrant on Monday during plenary, after the expiration of its 72-hour ultimatum for the electoral chief to appear before the House.
Enebeli had fixed August 9, 2025, to conduct a fresh Local Government (LG) poll in the state following a Supreme Court verdict that annulled the October 5, 2024 local government poll conducted in the state.
The Amaewhule-led Assembly had vowed to probe the conduct of Enebeli regarding the conduct of the annulled LG poll last year.
Over the weekend, Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, invited members of the Assembly to a dialogue on the implementation the Supreme Court’s verdict.
The Supreme Court had also barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Accountant General of the Federation and other agencies from releasing funds to the government of Rivers State until it purges itself of what the court described as flagrant disobedience to court orders.
In the judgment delivered by Justice Emmanuel Akomaye, the five-man panel of the court had unanimously dismissed the cross-appeal filed by Fubara challenging the validity of the House of Assembly presided over by Amaewhule as the Speaker.
In dismissing Fubara’s appeal, the court ordered Amaewhule to resume sitting immediately with other elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.