Aminu Tambuwal: political star at APC convention

Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

Aminu Tambuwal, the Speaker of House of Representatives was the star guest of the All Progressives Congress extraordinary national convention held at Old Parade Ground, Area 10, Abuja.

The Speaker who was received with thunderous ovation by the massive crowd at the mini convention went around the stands to greet the governors, national assembly members and others dignitaries amidst backslapping and hugging at the event.

The Speaker later told the excited crowd that he left the PDP for APC out of his desire for genuine change in the country. While urging Nigerians to continue to support APC, Tambuwal said the party would continue to strive to develop the country.

“It is an honour and privilege to join you members of our great party, the All Progressives Congress, at this convention. I embraced the APC platform for genuine change,” said the Speaker who added that he is truly proud to be part of the APC family.
“I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of goodwill and welcome that I have received from members of this party and other Nigerians since the formal notification of my membership of APC,” he added while thanking all Nigerians.

The Speaker is said to be interested in contesting for the Sokoto State governorship.

Tambuwal is expected to benefit from a key amendment that is expected to be ratified at the Convention which stipulated that defectors will no longer be required to spend at least 30 days as a member of the party before contesting elections.

Last week, stakeholders of APC in the State had zoned the governorship slot to the southern zone, where the Speaker hails from.

Tambuwal also attended the meeting, thus setting off speculations about the imminence of his formal defection to APC.

Text of Tambuwal’s short speech at the Convention

PROTOCOL:
It is an honour and privilege to join you all today at this Special Convention of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). I am really glad to be part of the APC family. Indeed, I have been overwhelmed by the massive outpouring of goodwill and welcome that I have received from the members of our great party and other well meaning Nigerians since the formal notification of my membership of APC. From the depth of my heart, I say, thank you.

And in appreciation of your warm hand of fellowship, I hereby rededicate myself to the task of building and growing our Party, and helping our party achieve its mission of lifting Nigeria to glorious heights and restoring hope to the citizens of our great country. In this regard, I hereby call on all other like minded Nigerians to join this movement to deliver on the promise of a new Nigeria.

The APC is the party where the progressive ideals of good governance to which I subscribe are wholeheartedly embraced and applied for the betterment of Nigeria.

I have embraced the APC platform as a veritable instrument for genuine change and enduring national development. We must constantly remind ourselves that Nigerians yearn for true change and APC represents the hope for this change, and a promise of a brighter tomorrow.

The Programmes of the APC are very attractive and will bring about radical changes in the way we do business in Nigeria. The kind of change Nigeria truly needs.

The work may appear tedious and the road ahead may appear long and hard, but our party is amply endowed with all the key ingredients of success. We need unity and solidarity in our ranks in order to face the challenges ahead.

In the weeks ahead, we will engage party men and women and Nigerians on the future direction of our nation and means of rescuing her from the malaise of youth unemployment, insecurity, institutionalized corruption, poverty, socio-economic decline and infrastructural decay.

May Almighty God guide our deliberations at this Special Convention, guide our path, bless our great Party, the All Progressives Congress. And may He bless and protect the Federal Republic of Nigeria.