Obasanjo, Jonathan, Atiku, Mark, Obi, Eulogise Tambuwal at 60

•Former Sokoto governor: Nigeria in peril, needs urgent salvation

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar yesterday eulogised a former governor of Sokoto State, Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal as he marked his 60th birthday.

This is just as Tambuwal has said Nigeria was in peril and urgently needed salvation, calling on Nigerians to unite and rescue the country from its current challenges.

Also, the various speakers, who spoke at a colloquium organised to mark his 60th birthday, in Abuja, narrated how Tambuwal was able to overcome the powers that be to become the Speaker of the House of Representatives in 2011.

Speaking as the chairman of the occasion, Obasanjo described Tambuwal as a humble personality whose leadership ambition was yet to reach the limit

According to Obasanjo, ”the life style of Aminu Waziri Tambuwal is a monumental life of service at every stage of his life, from being a member of the legislative arm and in the executive arm of government,” concluding that the ‘moon’ is his limit in leadership.

Speaking on how Tambuwal became the speaker of the House of Representatives, Obasanjo said that he opposed his becoming the speaker because he thought it was time to support a woman, Mulikat Akande, to serve as speaker.

According to Obasanjo, ”he consulted me after his tenure as speaker and I encouraged him to go for the gubernatorial election. He became governor and now, he is a Senator. The moon is his limit.”

Also, the former President Jonathan described Tambuwal as a man of humility.

He said when the celebrant wanted to become the Speaker of the House of Representatives, he opposed him, but added that his opposition didn’t affect his relationship with him because of his lifestyle of humility.

”He is appreciated as a politician. We had some issues, but he was supported by his fellow parliamentarians and he had his way.”

Former governor of Anambra State, Obi, who welcomed him to the sixth club, described him as a committed Nigerian who believes in the unity of the country.

Former Senate President and Chairman of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark narrated how Tambuwal and Emeka Ihedioha literally coerced him to endorse their ambition against the position of their political party, the PDP.

Mark said that he eventually supported the aspiration of Tambuwal and Ihedioha in becoming speaker and deputy speaker respectively.

In the colloquium and discussion at the event that was conducted by the former Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi; Prof. Pat Utomi and Dr. Usman Bugaje, they advocated an inclusive government, explaining that the winner- takes-it- all in form of majority system is one of the problems in Nigeria.

According to Fayemi, ”there is the need for an inclusive system that will endure a general participation by all Nigerians.”

On his part, Utomi lamented that Nigeria could degenerate to the system obtained in Sudan.

He said that ”Nigerians love Democracy and democratic rule, but don’t like state capture.

Utomi suggested proportional representation in governance, calling for an all-inclusive system that would ensure popular representation, according to votes scored by parties during election and not an elitist system that is presently practised in Nigeria

In his vote of thanks message, Tambuwal noted that Nigeria was not where its founding fathers envisaged, adding that even those who laid the foundations of the country’s democracy, whether alive or deceased, would be unhappy with the present state of affairs.

Tambuwal, who said it was the first time he was celebrating his birthday, explained that although he initially declined the idea of a colloquium, he later accepted because of the relevance of its theme.

According to him, the event was not about personal celebration but about reflecting on the state of the nation and finding a way forward.

“It is about good governance. It is not about me or merrymaking. It is about finding a pathway for our country. Where we are today is unfortunate. This is not where we expected to be,” he said.

He added that Nigerians who genuinely believed in the country and were not driven by selfish interests could not be satisfied with the current situation.

“The only way out is for all of us to accept that something is fundamentally wrong with how we are being governed in Nigeria today,” Tambuwal said.

Tambuwal stressed the need for collective action to rescue the nation.

“Our country is in peril, and we are looking for salvation. This is a collective process. It is not about partisanship or political parties alone,” he said.

He said he was overwhelmed by the show of goodwill and pledged that he will not deviate from what he was known for.