There are growing signs that the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, might delay his inauguration due to disagreements within the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the designation of key roles in the 10th National Assembly.
There are speculations that Tinubu is displeased with the APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, accusing him of charging lawmakers-elect to reject his favoured candidates for the Senate President and Speakership positions.
In the past week, the APC’s National Working Committee (NWC) selected the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio as the Senate President of the 10th Assembly, and Mr. Tajudeen Abbas from Kaduna State as the Speaker of the House.
These appointments have been met with resistance.
There are claims that the opposition parties plan to meet in Uyo next week to strategize on their own nominations for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.
On Wednesday, Tinubu departed Nigeria for a working visit to Europe.
According to his media aide, Tunde Rahman, Tinubu will utilize the trip to refine his transition plans and policy options with key aides, away from distractions.
A source that spoke with Vanguard revealed a potential plan to delay the proclamation of the National Assembly.
The source said, “There is no way they can succeed but we will not rest until we achieve the main goal we are eyeing. The worst is that the president will delay the proclamation of the National Assembly until such a time that we get the required support and numbers”
Another insider from Tinubu’s camp disclosed that the President-elect is unhappy with the “uncooperative attitude” of the APC National Chairman, Senator Adamu.
The source, a senior member of the party, said: “Apart from that we are very much aware of all that the national chairman has been doing in the last four or so weeks. He has demonstrated nonchalance and an implicitly uncooperative attitude since the discussions commenced.
“Here is a man who was into the whole game since it started and here, the same man coming clandestinely to incite some senate presidential and house speakership aspirants to revolt against the president-elect’s decision which he took in the interest of the party and Nigeria.
“All we know is Adamu Abdulahi is a mole in this great party and must be shown the way out because we cannot trust him. We have so many reasons for this if we delay a little more than necessary, we may be having issues from May 29. We must find a solution to this menace called Adamu.
“How can a man who leads a party provide weapon and tool for the opposition to fight the ruling party under the guise of aggrieved aspirants to leadership positions in the National Assembly. As it stands, we are more than convinced that he is a mole.”
The source also raised concerns over the upcoming opposition parties’ retreat in Uyo, aimed at strategizing how to challenge the ruling party during the inauguration of both Chambers.
The source said, “And I must shock you; this man is already aware that the PDP and other opposition parties are going to Uyo for a retreat and the purpose of that trip is to map out strategies on how our party will be humbled during g the inauguration of both Chambers.”
