The Peoples Democratic Party has reportedly zoned the post of Speaker, House of Representatives to South East geopolitical zone in the coming dispensation beginning from 2015,.
Although the position of the party has not been made public, party insiders said the arrangement is meant to compensate the South East which has provided unassailable support for the party, especially during elections into federal offices.
It will be recalled that the incumbent Speaker of the House of Representatives, who just recently defected from the ruling PDP to opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), emerged through a constellation of forces outside the PDP leadership, working in alignment with the opposition.
The South East, THE RAINBOW learnt, has been unhabecause the speakership has been zoned to the South-east by the party, though it is yet to be formally announced. Many believe that for him to quit the presidential race and go to the House, APC would have to rezone the speakership to North-west. In the alternative, Wammako would have to be persuaded to back Tambuwal for the governorship of Sokoto State next year.
The Speaker has however denied insinuations that he organised the purchase of the APC presidential nomination forms for himself by some of his colleagues. Some APC members of the lower chamber had bought the presidential nomination forms for Tambuwal last week, signalling his jettisoning of his widely rumoured desire to seek the governorship of his native Sokoto State.
He told the Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation monitored in Kano on Saturday morning that he had no part whatsoever in the decision to buy the form for him.
Tambuwal said, ” I am under pressure to contest for presidency from my friends and well-wishers who bought the form for me and I will consult my people for their advice”, adding, “I have received the presidential nomination form of APC and I will go and consult people, stakeholders in my home state, Sokoto for their advice”.
