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LequteMan
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Nigeria - Majority leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has opened up about being "betrayed" by former speaker Aminu Tambuwal during the road to the HoR speakership elections.
Tambuwal had openly stated that he preferred current speaker Yakubu Dogara for the position despite having a close relationship with Ggbajabiamila, who it's reported helped him secure the speakership role during his tenure. According to him, Dogara is more competent for the position than Gbajabiamila is.
However, speaking on Straight Talk with Kadaria Ahmed on Channels Television on Wednesday night, Gbajabiamila revealed the betrayal he felt for Tambuwal’s comments.
“It’s a comment I would rather ignore, I feel disappointed in that statement. Looking at that statement, there are many things wrong with that statement, which I don’t want to join issues with. But let me just say this since this is ‘straight talk’.
“I feel disappointed that a speaker to whom much had been given would chop down the issue of leadership and competence to the issue of procurement. That is the last thing I would expect him to say,” adding that the same procurement got Patricia Etteh and Dimeji Bankole into trouble.
“To seat here and say there is no sense of betrayal would be lying. Of course, there is a sense of betrayal, but it’s not something I dwell on. Betrayal unfortunately happens to be the order of the day in politics – particularly in Nigeria. So do I feel betrayed? Yes.
“Tambuwal was one of my closest friends when he ran for speaker; I think I single-handedly pushed his speakership bid. But again, he must have reasons why he did what he did. That must be respected; I just wished he had made that known.”
Asked if he had spoken with Tambuwal since the election, he said: “No I have not, I am not crossing paths with him, he is in Sokoto, I’m in Abuja; you might want to direct that question to him. Who do you think should be reaching out to who?
“When it was clear we were going to win, the other side walked out. Tambuwal, who is my friend, did not call once to congratulate me, he never sent a message, and I haven’t spoken to him since then.” he said.
Tambuwal had openly stated that he preferred current speaker Yakubu Dogara for the position despite having a close relationship with Ggbajabiamila, who it's reported helped him secure the speakership role during his tenure. According to him, Dogara is more competent for the position than Gbajabiamila is.
However, speaking on Straight Talk with Kadaria Ahmed on Channels Television on Wednesday night, Gbajabiamila revealed the betrayal he felt for Tambuwal’s comments.
“It’s a comment I would rather ignore, I feel disappointed in that statement. Looking at that statement, there are many things wrong with that statement, which I don’t want to join issues with. But let me just say this since this is ‘straight talk’.
“I feel disappointed that a speaker to whom much had been given would chop down the issue of leadership and competence to the issue of procurement. That is the last thing I would expect him to say,” adding that the same procurement got Patricia Etteh and Dimeji Bankole into trouble.
“To seat here and say there is no sense of betrayal would be lying. Of course, there is a sense of betrayal, but it’s not something I dwell on. Betrayal unfortunately happens to be the order of the day in politics – particularly in Nigeria. So do I feel betrayed? Yes.
“Tambuwal was one of my closest friends when he ran for speaker; I think I single-handedly pushed his speakership bid. But again, he must have reasons why he did what he did. That must be respected; I just wished he had made that known.”
Asked if he had spoken with Tambuwal since the election, he said: “No I have not, I am not crossing paths with him, he is in Sokoto, I’m in Abuja; you might want to direct that question to him. Who do you think should be reaching out to who?
“When it was clear we were going to win, the other side walked out. Tambuwal, who is my friend, did not call once to congratulate me, he never sent a message, and I haven’t spoken to him since then.” he said.
