Nigeria’s opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) has described the withdrawal of Tambuwal’s security details as “executive rascalism and abuse of the country’s Constitution.”
The party was reacting to the news of the withdrawal of the security details of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, in the wake of his defection to the party from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
A statement from the police force headquarter Public Relations Officer earlier in the day had said: “in view of the recent defection by the Right Honourable Aminu Waziri Tanbuwal, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, from the People Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressive 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.”
In a statement today, signed by the Rivers State Chairman of APC, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, the party called on Nigerians to condemn what it called “this affront on the fourth citizen of our nation and insult on our representatives. Let us reiterate that it is the constitutional right of Tambuwal to freely associate with any party of his choice, including, of course, APC.”
Dr. Ikanya said that it is only an unserious politician who will continue to stay in a sinking party like PDP that has brought the nation to shame and pains and made it a laughing stock before the international community.
“We therefore ask for the immediate reversal of this obnoxious order. We commend Tambuwal for the bold step he has taken to join the party for a new Nigeria.
“As we sympathize with the present leadership of PDP for making the party the largest undemocratic party in Africa and leading it to its present sorrowful state and imminent demise, we wish to further state that those calling for the resignation of the Speaker are just exposing their level of ignorance of the functions of the House of Reps and our Constitution.
“Speaker Tambuwal was duly elected by the generality of the House members and can only be removed by impeachment by 240 members of the House. With only 180 PDP members in the House, from where are they are going to get the extra 60 members to aid them in the impeachment of Tambuwal?
“They should accept the reality that an APC Speaker is now in place, signaling the beginning of the take-over of the mantle of leadership by our great party on 29th May, 2015.”
APC advised PDP leadership to try and read Section 50 (1)(b) of the nation’s Constitution, which it said states: ‘There shall be a Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives who shall be elected by the members of that House from among themselves.’
The party pointed out that the Speaker was elected as the representative of the “generality of Nigerians” and not necessarily because he belonged to a particular political party.
“As we await the mass decampment of the remaining 50 PDP members of the House, we wish to urge President Jonathan to stop overheating the polity and start writing his handover note because he stands no chance of implementing any third term agenda next year as we will resist such an unholy attempt.”
The party insisted that all hope is lost for both Jonathan and PDP, asking: “With Kano, Lagos and Rivers states in the kitty of APC and with the likely elimination of rigging during the 2015 general elections, what realistic chances does PDP have in the 2015 general elections?” [myad]
