Following the withdrawal of the security details attached to the Speaker of the House of Representatives Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, 60 All Progressives Congress members of the House now move around with him to serve as security for the Speaker.
SUNDAY PUNCH learnt the 60 Reps have been accompanying Tambuwal around Abuja to protect him against potential security threats.
The lawmakers do not only drive along with him in a motorcade, they also form a shield around Tambuwal to protect him.
Tambuwal had, on Tuesday in Abuja formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress, following weeks of speculation and intrigues.
One of the lawmakers providing shield for Tambuwal, Mr. Ahmad Ali, said, “We are covering him and we will continue to fight this illegality until it is quashed.
“We all went with him to the (Federal High) court today (Friday) to challenge the withdrawal of his security personnel.”
Ali, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Justice, said the members would do everything within their power to protect Tambuwal.
Tambuwal and the APC have since defended his defection, claiming that the PDP had factions, in addition to arguing that the courts have yet to resolve pending cases on defection before them.
It was also learnt that the speaker and his loyalists were working to ensure that the alleged plot by the Presidency and the PDP caucus to reconvene the House before December 3 is frustrated.
Tambuwal had adjourned the House till December 3 soon after he defected to the APC from the PDP on Tuesday last week, a decision that did not go down well with the Presidency and the PDP leadership.
The PDP caucus declined to comment on the alleged plot to reconvene the House before December 3.
When contacted, House Deputy Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor, instead called for the restoration of Tambuwal’s security personnel.
There have been fears within the APC quarters that the Presidency and the PDP may be pushing for the reconvening for the members to pick a new speaker.
Tambuwal’s defection is being considered as not only an embarrassment to the party, most party loyalists see it as an affront which should not go unpunished.
SUNDAY PUNCH gathered in Abuja, on Friday, that the national leadership of the PDP was at a loss over how best to compel its members of the House to face this challenge.
Leading members of the party hierarchy, who pleaded for anonymity for fear of retribution, confirmed the party’s dilemma.
They noted that the timing of the speaker’s defection made things difficult for the party because it happened at a time the party could not guarantee any of its members in the House an automatic ticket.
A member of the National Working a Committee of the party, who spoke with one of our correspondents also on the condition of anonymity, said they would rather support the Presidency in dealing with Tambuwal.
He said the party was already considering a scenario whereby some of its aggrieved members would return after the party’s primaries and pit their tents with Tambuwal if they lose out.
He said, “But we are also not resting on our oars. We will win more and lose few, we know how to deal with the situation.”
Asked to expatiate on how the party intends to deal with the situation, he said the party would go to court and challenge the defection and also work on the other members of the leadership of the House to see if they could muster enough courage to recall members of the House.
Another source said that the Federal Government and the party would not want Tambuwal to preside over the House during the debate on the 2015 budget.
Besides, he said the speaker could again use the opportunity to lambast President Goodluck Jonathan and the government for alleged poor implementation of the 2014 budget.
“You know he likes playing to the gallery. Even while he was with us in the PDP, he usually attacks the party and the Federal Government. The situation would be worse now that he has left us,” the source added.
It was also gathered that the party and the government was already working on Ihedioha with the hope of asking him to give a brief summary of the House finance.
The plan, it was gathered, was to refer the matter, if the books “are not clean enough,” to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission with a view of getting the speaker arrested.
It was also gathered that the party and the government was also considering how to frustrate his alleged governorship ambition in Sokoto State.
But up till Friday evening, the national leadership of the PDP claimed it was not aware of the withdrawal of the security details of Tambuwal.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Olisa Metuh, stated this in an interview with our correspondent in Abuja.
When told that the police boss had issued a statement to that effect, he said he had not read it.
Metuh said, “When did it happen? Today? I’m not aware. I have not read the statement anywhere and therefore I cannot comment on it.”
However, the opposition All Progressives Party is not resting on its oars and is preparing to do “battle” to protect the speaker.
The National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Lai Mohammed, said, “This level of impunity by the PDP-led administration will certainly not go unchallenged. I assure you.”
Source: Punch
