Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, and his deputy Emeka Ihedioha have distanced themselves from their posters, which flooded last week.
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The poster, with the caption: “Our Choice 2015,” purports the two principal officers of the House of Representatives to be making presidential bid the All Progressives Congress (APCA) platform.
Both Tambuwal and Ihedioha are members of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), though Tambuwal has been hobnobbing with the members of the opposition APC and is believed to be bidding for time before crossing over to the party.
Tambuwal’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Malam Imam Imam, said on Saturday that the speaker thanked those who placed the posters for considering him fit for elective office, but advised them not to go against the laws of the land.
He said, “While we thank them for deeming the Rt Hon Speaker fit for elective office in the country, let it be known that since the Independent National Electoral Commission has not given the go-ahead for those interested in elective positions to start mobilisation, it is inappropriate for any person or group to print campaign posters and have them placed in strategic areas all over the country.
“Laws of the Federation are meant to be obeyed by the high and mighty. The Honourable Speaker will make known the direction he will take with regards to his political future at the appropriate time.”
Ihedioha , in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Oke Epia, also said, “The attention of the Right Honourable Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, has been drawn to posters pasted in parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, purporting that he is running as vice presidential aspirant under the All Progressives Congress in the 2015 elections.
“This comes to the deputy speaker as laughable and completely nonsensical. Especially so, when the said posters came at a time Hon. Ihedioha is on party assignment with the President and leader of the party, the national chairman and other top stalwarts of the PDP at Osogbo, Osun State for the grand rally of the party for the August 9th governorship election.
“The general public is hereby urged to ignore the posters and see this incident as the handiwork of mischief makers who are advised to find better things to do with their time and resources.
“The deputy speaker is fully focused on and committed to rebuilding the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) nationally and in Imo State where he has remained a bulwark of the ruling party since the opposition took over the reins of government at that level in 2011.
“Nothing can distract the deputy speaker and other leaders of the party in Imo State from working conscientiously to dislodge the APC government in Imo State and also ensure victory for the party at the federal level in 2015.
“He assures his numerous supporters and associates both in Imo State and all over Nigeria that no amount of mischief can stop or derail the PDP train of progress moving into Imo with the Deputy Speaker in the driver’s seat.”
