The Attorney General of Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke (SAN) and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Suleiman Abba, on Friday argued that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, AminuTambuwal, has ceased to be a member of the House by virtue of his defection to another party and is no longer entitled to rights and privileges associated with that position.
The duo while justifying the withdrawal of Tambuwal’s security details, contended that having defected from the party that sponsored him, he has lost his membership of the House and “automatically ceased to be the Speaker.”
They argued in a joint counter-affidavit filed in response to the originating summons sent to the court by Tambuwal, challenging the withdrawal of his security aides, alleged threat by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its leadership to reconvene the House, declare his seat vacate and remove him as Speaker.
The case is being heard by Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The AGF and IGP, in the -affidavit filed by their lawyer, Ade Okeaya-Inneh (SAN), argued that they cannot be accused of acting in breach of the Constitution by withdrawing the security aides attached to the Speaker because he is no longer the Speaker as at when the security men were withdrawn.
They argued that Tambuwal, having defected from the PDP that sponsored his election into the House, and having purportedly ceased to be a member of the House and is Speaker, is now “an ordinary citizen of Nigeria, is not exposed to any danger or bodily harm because of the withdrawal of his security details.”
Source: The Nation
