Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has explained why he and then-President Goodluck Jonathan opposed Aminu Waziri Tambuwal’s emergence as Speaker of the House of Representatives in 2011, citing party considerations and gender inclusion.
Obasanjo spoke on Saturday at a leadership colloquium and 60th birthday celebration held in honour of Tambuwal, a former Speaker, ex-governor of Sokoto State and current senator.
He said their stance was driven by the Peoples Democratic Party’s position and the belief that a woman should be encouraged to retain the office after the House had, for the first time, produced a female Speaker candidate.
According to him, the PDP supported Mulikat Akande-Adeola, a lawmaker from the South-West, and felt she deserved continuity in the role.
However, Obasanjo acknowledged that lawmakers asserted their constitutional independence and chose Tambuwal instead.
“Our thinking was that if, for the first time, a woman had emerged as Speaker, she should be encouraged to continue,” Obasanjo said. “But members of the House thought otherwise, made their decision, and we supported it.”
He described Tambuwal as a humble leader whose rise reflected the autonomy of the legislature, adding that leadership without humility was empty.
Tambuwal, then a second-term lawmaker from the North-West, defeated Akande-Adeola by 252 votes to 90, out of 340 votes cast, despite lacking the backing of President Jonathan at the time.
The election was notable for the support Tambuwal received from the then-opposition Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), led by Bola Tinubu, marking a rare moment in the Fourth Republic when the legislature openly defied executive preference.
Jonathan, who joined the event virtually, confirmed that he had disagreements with Tambuwal during his time as Speaker but praised his leadership.
“When he was Speaker and I was President, we had some disagreements,” Jonathan said. “But members of the House believed strongly in him, and he held the House together.”
Former Senate President David Mark recalled that Tambuwal and his deputy approached him ahead of the election, insisting they would emerge Speaker and Deputy Speaker regardless of party pressure.
“For once, Mr President, I disobeyed you,” Mark said, recounting how he ignored PDP directives on the eve of the vote.
Several political leaders attended the event, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Adams Oshiomhole, Kayode Fayemi, Senate President Godswill Akpabio (represented by Senator Abba Moro), Bishop Matthew Kukah, and former Speakers Patricia Etteh and Yakubu Dogara.
Atiku described Tambuwal as “a leader in the making,” while Obi called him a bridge-builder committed to unity and consensus. Oshiomhole praised his ability to manage a divided House.
Akande-Adeola dismissed any suggestion of lingering bitterness over the 2011 contest, saying there was no animosity between them.
In his remarks, Tambuwal said Nigeria was at a critical point and needed rescue from years of poor governance. He warned against imposing unworthy successors and urged leaders to put national interest above personal ambition, ethnicity and party loyalty.
