There was a serious drama today at the National Assembly when the Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Suleiman Abba and members of the House of Representatives walked out angrily on each other because the police boss refused to recognise the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, as the speaker.
It all started when the Inspector General continued to refer to Tambuwal as “Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal” which angered members of the House Committee on Police Affairs.
Abba insisted that it would be “subjudice ” for him to address Tambuwal as speaker or any matter relating to him so long as such a matter is in court.
The Chairman of the committee, Usman Bello-Kurmo, asked him a direct question: “Is Aminu Waziri-Tambuwal the speaker of the House of Representatives or not?”
The IG replied: “Mr. Chairman, you know that matters before the courts are subjudice.
“Commenting on them is subjudice until they are disposed of.”
Nevertheless, members accused the Inspector General of “disrespecting” the speaker.
Hakeem Munir and Victor Nwokolo insisted that the IG should retract his comment and address Tambuwal with his official title, but Abba was unmoved.
The committee resolved that the discussions could no longer hold since the IG would not accord Tambuwal his respect.
The lawmakers stormed out of the venue angrily. They stopped Bello-Kurmo from shaking hands with Abba or making efforts to see him off to the door.
The committee, acting on a House resolution, had summoned Abba to explain why the police shut the gates of the National Assembly against lawmakers on Thursday last week.
During the closure, Tambuwal and many lawmakers were disallowed entry by the police, resulting in violent reactions by the members.
In the process, many of them scaled the gates to enter the premises and later forcibly took the speaker into the House.
Riot policemen reacted by throwing tear-gas at the speaker and the enraged members. [myad]
