Outrage, as Police withdraw Tambuwal’s security aides •It’s improper –NCP, APC, Sagay•Withdrawal in order, says legal practitioner •Action is despicable– Speaker

Outrage, as Police withdraw Tambuwal’s security aides
•It’s improper –NCP, APC, Sagay•Withdrawal in order, says legal practitioner •Action is despicable– Speaker

Nigerians have condemned in strong terms the withdrawal of the security aides of the Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, by the Police barely two days after he defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Suleiman Abba, on Thursday ordered immediate withdrawal and redeployment of all security aides attached to Tambuwal.
The withdrawal order was contained in a statement signed by the Force Spokesman, Emmanuel Ojukwu, a copy which was made available toDaily Independentin Abuja, on Thursday.
The IGP in the statement said: “In view of the recent defection by the Right Honourable Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), and having regard to the clear provision of Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has redeployed its personnel attached to his office.”
However, in a swift reaction, the APC called on President Goodluck Jonathan to “show better understanding of democracy” by immediately restoring the police security details of the Speaker.
In a statement in Abuja on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party described the withdrawal of the Speaker’s security details by the IGP as “a usurpation of the role of the Judiciary by the Inspector General of Police especially bearing in mind that the question of the interpretation of Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution on which the Inspector General of Police anchored his illegal act is currently before the courts for resolution.”
The party said the position, including the manner a person becomes the Speaker of the House of Representatives, was to be found in the Constitution, arguing that “no constitutional provision or legislation says membership of the ruling or dominant party in the House is a pre-requisite.”
The party added, “Furthermore, as the Number Four citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the security details and apparatus attached to the person of the Speaker are not based on his lineage, person and or political leaning. It is on account of the position and the protection required for that position and in Nigeria’s best interest.
“This unfortunate use and deployment of Nigeria’s security forces in a partisan and political way portends danger and further weakens important institutions of governance and jeopardises national security. Under President Jonathan, we now have a Police Force that is monitoring and making conclusions with respect to party membership and qualification of an otherwise elected official. This is unheard of in any decent democracy.
“The All Progressives Congress rejects this challenge to democracy and modern society. We reject President Jonathan’s illegality and call for respect and compliance with the law.
“We reject this meddling in the affairs of the Legislature, especially given the resolution of President Jonathan and his close advisers yesterday at their meeting to ask the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha to unlawfully reconvene the House before the adjourned date,” the party further stated.
Tambuwal also reacted to the Police directive. His media aide, Mallam Imam Imam, in a release said the office of Tambuwal received with shock and amazement the statement issued by the Force Headquarters, justifying the action.
“The implication of the Inspector General of Police’s statement is that as sanction for this alleged constitutional breach, he has removed Rt. Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal from office of Speaker House of Representatives.
“For the avoidance of doubt the question of whether or not there is a division or faction in the PDP has been resolved by Lord Justice Faji of the Ilorin Division of Federal High Court in suit FHC/ABJ/CS/605/2013 in which the court held that indeed there were factions in the PDP.
“Again in Suit no FHC/ABJ/CS/ 605/2013, the Sokoto Division of the Federal High Court per Justice Aikawa, the judgment of the court was that there was not only division but faction in the PDP which later merged with the APC.”
“The party said as the Number Four citizen in the hierarchy of protocol in the country, the Speaker is entitled to security protection by the security agencies and described the action of the Inspector General of Police as not only contempt of the courts but a ploy to bring harm to the person of Tambuwal.
“We are on authority that nothing in the 1999 Constitution or the Police Act confers on the police force adjudicatory powers including the interpretation of the constitution,” he stated.
A Constitutional lawyer, Itse Sagay (SAN), on Thursday condemned the action, saying it was improper for the Federal Government to withdraw his security detail.
Sagay who described the kind of politics being practised in Nigeria as Third World politics, clarified that Tambuwal’s defection does not affect his position as the Number Four citizen of Nigeria.
“It is improper. I really don’t know when we are going to establish some standard protocol into the practice of politics in this country.
“We have to develop to that level where we avoid personalising issues and creating bitterness. There is no basis at all for the action of the Federal Government. If he has been removed as Speaker by the House, it is only then the security can be withdrawn. It is Third World politics,” he stated.
Also reacting, the National Conscience Party (NCP) described the Federal Government’s action as abuse of power and impunity at the highest level.
The party’s National General Secretary, Ayodele Akele, asked the Federal Government to abide by the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and promptly restore the security details of the Speaker.
Deputy Whip of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rotimi Abiru, in a telephone interview on Thursday, condemned the Presidency for “playing dirty politics” with Tambuwal all because he decided to leave the PDP and join the APC.
The lawmaker said the Presidency has no right or moral justification to withdraw the security details of the Number Four citizen just because he chose to join a progressive party.
“Initially, the PDP was asking him to resign as Speaker of the House and now they have resolved to victimisation of the Speaker, which is not good for our democracy.
“To me, such an action is uncalled for. The constitution didn’t say that a Speaker must be from majority or minority. What the constitution says is that the members shall choose a Speaker among from one of them in the House,” he said.
Edo State Commissioner for Agriculture, Abdul Oroh, on his part said the action of the Federal Government is not only wrong but vindictive.
Oroh who once represented Owan Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives declared: “For the Federal Government through the office of the Inspector General of Police (IG) to have withdrawn the security of the Speaker is wrong. In fact it, it is an act of intimidation which is probably designed to expose him to all forms of danger. It is a threat to his safety”.
Also reacting, Edo State Publicity Secretary of APC, Comrade Godwin Erhahon, called on Nigerians to hold President Goodluck Jonathan responsible should any harm befalls Tambuwal.
The President and Convener, Nigeria Voters’ Assembly (VOTAS), Mashood Erubami, warned that it portends serious danger to our democracy and an indication of the danger that lies ahead of the 2015 election.
Erubami said the security aides’ withdrawal was a confirmation that police would not be neutral in 2015 polls but would serve as an appendage of the ruling party.
Speaking in the same vein, the former Presidential candidate and National Chairman of National Action Council (NAC), Olapade Agoro, said Tambuwal’s defection should not be anything embarrassing to anybody in Nigeria considering the scenario of leaders moving from one party to another. The latest one before that of Tambuwal being that of Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State from the Labour Party (LP) to the PDP which generated no furore, but well celebrated by the PDP.
However, a renowned legal practitioner in Abuja, Iornav Jeff, said the withdrawal of the security detail from the Speaker was normal and does not breach any part of the Constitution.
“There is nothing legal about this issue, they are merely administrative issues. They can and they cannot have security. There is nothing legalistic about it. There is nowhere in the constitution where these issues are provided in any of the laws of the federation.
“Because of the nature of their office, they require to be protected from harassment, but there is nothing constitutional or legalistic about it,” he stressed.
Responding to a question on the timing of the withdrawal of the security aides considering that Tambuwal still remains the Speaker, the legal practitioner said: “Some of these things are political as well as administrative. It cannot be seen from a legal point of view.