The tussle within the ruling party, the All Progressive Congress [APC] between the Tinubu led faction and the El Rufai led faction has become a game of musical chairs where winner takes all. Information available to 247ureports.com indicates the election for the leadership of the House of Representative may have taken a new turn.
This is as the El Rufai faction of the party – consisting primarily of Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Fayemi, Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, Minister of Power, Housing & Works, Raji Fashola and others – have turned away from the supposed choice of the Tinubu led APC for the position of Speaker. Femi Gbajabiamila representing Surulere constituency in Lagos State had been the choice for the Tinubu led APC.
The El Rufai faction has in turned opted to go south east. Particularly, his former ally and friend in the person of Emeka Nwajiuba who was recently presented with a certificate of return by the Independent National Electoral Commission [INEC] for Okigwe south (Ehime, Mbano/Ihitte, Uboma/Obowo) federal constituency under the Accord party.
Emeka Nwajiuba had been a member of the APC but was pushed away by the Rochas Okorocha mechanization which hoisted his man Friday, Chike Okafor as the recipient of the party ticket. Emeka Nwajiuba was forced to contest under the Accord party.
He has indicated he will return to the APC.
As a caveat, Emeka Nwajiuba was born shortly after the broke out of the Biafran war in August 20, 1967. He was called to the Nigerian bar in 1989, pursued his LLM at University of Lagos and PhD at University of Jos. He had served as House of Representatives committee chairman on Land, Housing and works from 1999 to 2003 before contesting Imo governorship on the platform of APP in 2003, 2007 and as CPC candidate in 2011. He was secretary of the Constitution drafting committee that produced the Constitution of the merger committee to form APC in 2013.
While serving as the committee chairman on Land, Housing and works, Nasiru El Rufai headed the Bureau for Public Enterprise [BPE]. Both Nwajiuba and El Rufai worked together and knew each other sufficient well. They grew to become friends. According to our source, “they trust each other”.
Nwajiuba is said to enjoy a cordial relationship with the President.
In light of El Rufai’s ambition to contest for president of Nigeria, our source notes that El Rufai has begun positioning his searchlight to the south east to make new friends. He believes he needs south east votes to carry him over the hump. He has begun to attract the favor of the south east. He believes that with a Speaker from the south east, the south east with appreciate him in return.
