BUDGET PADDING SCANDA: Governor Tambuwal's Intervention WORSENS Dogara's Woes As Southwest Reps Vow A Payback

There is strong indication that the support being enjoyed by the embattled Speaker of the House of the Representative, Yakubu Dogara from his immediate successor and now the governor of Sokoto State Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal has worsened his plight to remain as the speaker amidst budget padding scandal bedevilling the lower chamber, News Punch has gathered

Report according to Punch Newspaper has it that the Sokoto State Governor's support for the embattled speaker has sparked the annoyance of southwest lawmakers who are bent on paying the back in his own coin.

The moves by Tambuwal was said to have deepened the budget padding crisis in the House.

It was gathered that Tambuwal had been mobilising some members of the House from the North-West to support the Speaker.

A member of the House said according to our source; “It is an open secret that the Speaker is Tambuwal’s man. The Sokoto State governor was instrumental in the emergence of Dogara as the Speaker in 2015. He has not abandoned the man. He is mobilising members of the House for Dogara.”

It was learnt that although the Sokoto State governor had succeeded in convincing the North-West members of the House to support Dogara, the South-West members had, however, declined to support the Speaker.

Findings showed that members from the South-West had not forgotten the role Tambuwal played in the emergence of Dogara as the Speaker in June 2015, dumping Femi Gbajabiamila, the preferred candidate of the All Progressives Congress.

It was learnt that the budget crisis would have been resolved if the South-West members had signed the list of those who were ready to pass vote of confidence in Dogara.

It was gathered that most members from the zone, however, decided to be neutral by supporting neither Dogara nor Jubrin.

A chieftain of the party, who confided in in our source said, “You will recall that the South-West members of the party were instrumental in the emergence of Tambuwal as the Speaker in 2011. In 2015, when it was the time to show gratitude, he abandoned the zone.”