More troubles await the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, over his recent defection to the All Progressives Congress, investigation has revealed.
The PUNCHlearnt on Thursday that apart from his security details that were withdrawn by the Nigeria Police Force on Thursday, Tambuwal might be barred from entering either his office or the National Assembly when the House resumes on December 3.
This was one of the decisions reached during a meeting held by top officials of the Peoples Democratic Party which had in attendance President Goodluck Jonathan.
Tambuwal had on Tuesday adjourned the House till December 3 after he stunned his colleagues by announcing his defection from the PDP to the opposition All Peoples Congress.
But on Thursday, the Police authorities withdrew his security aides, citing section Section 68 (1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution as amended as reason.
The section reads, “A member of the Senate or of the House of Representatives shall vacate his seat in the House of which he is a member if -
(g) being a person whose election to the House was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected.”
A top Presidency source told one of our correspondents on the condition of anonymity that the legal advice before the Federal Government and the leadership of the PDP was that Tambuwal was no longer the speaker of the House in the eye of the law.
He noted that the speaker contravened section (68)(1)(g) by defecting when there is a subsisting court injunction to the effect that there is no division in the PDP.
According to him, the decision to strip Tambuwal of all the rights and privileges of the speaker was taken based on that legal submission.
The source added that the government and the PDP leadership resolved that instead of taking Tambuwal to court for defecting without vacating his seat, he would be the one to go to court when his rights are withdrawn.
He said, “The withdrawal of Tambuwal’s security details is in order. Section 68 (1)(g) made it clear that a lawmaker who defects when there is no division in his party shall vacate his seat.
“The legal advice is that the operational word there is ‘shall.’ That section of the constitution is self-
“There is a subsisting court injunction that there is no division in the PDP and that there is no merger.
“It therefore means that based on that constitutional provision, Tambuwal is no longer a member of the House. Since he is no longer a member, then he cannot be the speaker.
“The withdrawal of his security details is in order. He will even be stopped from entering his office. He is no longer a member of the House.
“Instead of us taking him to court, he will be the one to go to court.”
President Goodluck Jonathan had on Wednesday engaged some leaders of the PDP in a meeting aimed at taking a common position on the matter.
Those who attended the meeting included the National Chairman of the PDP, Adamu Mu’azu; the Deputy Leader of the House, Leo Ogor; as well as governors Gabriel Suswam (Benue); Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom); Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa); Ibrahim Dankwabo (Gombe); and Sullivan Chime (Enugu).
Top governmental officials who also attended the parley were the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim; the National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki; and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Muhammed Adoke (SAN).
Reps may defy Tambuwal
There were also indications that the House might reconvene within the next one week to take further actions over Tambuwal’s defection.
The PUNCHlearnt that the decision to reconvene the House was also one of the outcomes of the meeting between Jonathan and some principal officers of the House and PDP leaders.
The principal officers were the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha; the Majority Leader, Mulikat Akande-Adeola; and the Deputy Majority Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor.
By enabling provisions, the House requires the approval of one-third of the total number of 360 members to reconvene the House.
A reliable source in the House, who confided inThe PUNCHon Thursday, said, “What will happen is that about 120 members will sign and pass over to the speaker, asking that the House should be reconvened. That is what is going to happen in the next one week.”
Police action, ploy to bring harm to me–Tambuwal
While justifying the withdrawal of Tambulwal’s security aides, the Force Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ojukwu, had in a terse statement in Abuja, hinged the Police action on Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
The statement read, “In view of the recent defection by the Right Hon. Aminu Waziri Tanbuwal, CFR, the speaker of the House of Representatives, from the PDP to the APC and having regard to the clear provision of section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, the Nigeria Police Force, has redeployed its personnel attached to his office.”
Tambuwal however accused the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba, of breaching the constitution by withdrawing his security aides.
He noted that by using Section 68(1)(g) as the basis for his action, the IG had assumed the powers of the Judiciary, the only arm of government empowered to interpret the constitution.
His comment was contained in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Imam Imam.
The statement reads, “We are on authority that nothing in the 1999 Constitution nor the Police Act confers on the police force adjudicatory powers including the interpretation of the constitution.
“In any case even Section 215 of the 1999 Constitution does not contemplate the issuing of or compliance with unlawful orders by the President and or the Inspector General of Police respectively.
“What the IG has done therefore has no basis in law including the 1999 Constitution which he has cited. It is a brazen act of crass impunity, gross constitutional breach and contempt of court. The IG should desist from assuming or usurping the constitutional functions of the Judiciary.”
The statement added that the judiciary had long interpreted the section the IG quoted and concluded through two court cases that there were indeed divisions and factions in the PDP.
It said, “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.”
Tambuwal further said the IG’s action was not only contemptuous of the courts, but also “a ploy to bring harm” to his person .
APC, SANs, others blast Jonathan, PDP
The APC, the Progressives People Alliance, and Senior Advocates of Nigeria on Thursday blasted Jonathan and the PDP for ordering the police to withdraw Tambuwal’s security aides.
Specifically, the APC charged Jonathan to show better understanding of democracy by restoring the police security details.
This was contained in a statement by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in Abuja.
According to the party, the withdrawal of the speaker’s security details amounted to the usurpation of the role of the judiciary by the IG.
The party said this was more so bearing in mind that the question of the interpretation of Section 68(1)(g) of the constitution on which the Police anchored its “illegal act” is currently before the courts for resolution.
The statement partly read, “For avoidance of doubt, the position, including the manner a person becomes the Speaker of the House of Representatives is to be found in the constitution, and no constitutional provision or legislation says membership of the ruling or dominant party in the House is a pre-requisite.
“Furthermore as the number four citizen 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.
“The APC 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 Jonathan and his close advisers yesterday at their meeting to ask the Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha, to unlawfully reconvene the House before the adjourned date.”
Also, the APC Caucus in the House described the withdrawal of the security details of the speaker as “incredulous.”
The caucus warned that Jonathan would be held responsible should any harm befall Tambuwal.
Its Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, said, “The NPF does not belong to the PDP. More importantly, the Executive cannot determine for the legislature, an independent institution and arm of government who will head it or who its speaker should be.
“This is the height of impunity. It is ironic that the institution that appropriates and gives money to the police is the same institution being denigrated and abused by the same police.”
While the PDP Caucus described the action as unnecessary, the speaker’s office said it was as surprised as Nigerians.
The Deputy Majority Leader of the House, Mr. Leo Ogor, who spoke for the PDP Caucus, warned that there should be no external interference in the defection of the speaker.
Ogor said, “It is totally uncalled for. Let members be allowed to deal with the defection of the speaker by themselves.
“We are fully ready to handle it and I assure you that as soon as we resume, we will take care of it.”
Imam had before the statement he signed on behalf of Tambuwal, said they resumed on Thursday to find out that the police personnel attached to the speaker had been withdrawn.
“We came to work this morning and what we found was that all the security men did not report for duty. We are puzzled but that is the situation,” Imam stated.
The Progressive Peoples Alliance while condemning the withdrawal of security operatives, advised the House to challenge the action in court.
Its National Chairman , Mr. Peter Ameh, said, “There are people who were elected into the two chambers of the National Assembly and they left, where were the Police then? Did the Police withdraw their security details? Let us not take sides; the Police is meant for all, to protect every citizen of this country.”
Also, SANs like Femi Falana, Yusuf Ali and Emeka Ngige flayed the police action, saying it was against the law and portended danger for the country’s democracy.
Falana advised the acting the IG to immediately restore them, reminding him of previous judicial decisions cautioning the Police against taking sides with political interest groups.
He said, “The police orderlies were attached to the Speaker by virtue of his office and not on account of his office and not on account of his membership of the ruling party.
“The withdrawal of the orderlies by the police authorities is a partisan demonstration of abuse power.”
Ali said, “To become the Speaker of the House of Representatives is by election by members of the House. Once you are elected, unless the House comes together to remove you, you remain the Speaker. At this moment his is still the Speaker because the House is not in session. He adjourned the House as the Speaker. The Police cannot take it upon themselves to begin to interpret the constitution.”
Similarly, Ngige said the police were being partisan, adding the Tambuwal ‘s defection should not attract such treatment from the security agency.
He said, “The IG cannot interpret the constitution because it is not a court of law. Unless a court declares his seat vacant that is when the removal of his security will arise. But if no court has made such a pronouncement the IG is throwing himself into the arena as a partisan person by removing his security.”
Senators Babafemi Ojudu; Robert Boroffice ; Kabiru Marafa and Olufemi Lanlehin also condemned the action of the police.
They said it was dangerous for the nation’s democracy.

www.punchng.com/news/jonathan-pdp-plan-shocker-for-tambuwal/

Empty threat from PDP. They should ask what happened in the case of Obasanjo vs Atiku in 2006 when Atiku (sitting VP) decamped to AC. Tambuwal remains the Speaker of the House till May 2015.

Plenty problems foor tambuwal.

Been HOR speaker is for house members and not ex-members like Tambuwal

FastShipping:
Empty threat from PDP. They should ask what happened in the case of Obasanjo vs Atiku in 2006 when Atiku (sitting VP) decamped to AC. Tambuwal remains the Speaker of the House till May 2015.

Lol see this one.If he still has any powers let he recovene the house and summon the IGP

My point is 'whatever they do, let it be confines of law'

I hate it when people in authority do things not backed by Laws of the land.

FastShipping:
Empty threat from PDP. They should ask what happened in the case of Obasanjo vs Atiku in 2006 when Atiku (sitting VP) decamped to AC. Tambuwal remains the Speaker of the House till May 2015.

atiku case is totally different from this case. You have to remember that atiku was on a joint ticket with obj. The sections of the constitution been quoted by pdp applies to the speaker and house . I believe there are different set rule and regulations that applies to different political positions on the issue of defection.

FastShipping:
Empty threat from PDP. They should ask what happened in the case of Obasanjo vs Atiku in 2006 when Atiku (sitting VP) decamped to AC. Tambuwal remains the Speaker of the House till May 2015.

This law is applicable to Legislators; afterall, Zamfara APC recently sacked councillors that defected to PDP.

The reason for this law, is to ensure that the party retains its numerical strength in the house. Parties need to push their agenda in the house; thus, defection of members for personal reasons will jeopardize the party's ambitions. A good law I must say ..... well thought out. As it stands Tambuwal is not even a member of the house .... lol!

If Tambuwal insists that he is the Speaker then let him go to the courts.....simple.

I am just hating the way this is going.

No be only shocker

Na tension too


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They can rant all they want,but it must be within the constitution,and not some conjured imagination of some perceived PDP chieftains.

His defection has dealt a big blow on PDP,no wonder PDP keeps hyper-ventilating like a possessed witch.

Tambuwal must go

PDP

Gboliwe:
I am just hating the way this is going.

Gboliwe don't be in a such a hurry. We have a water tight plan to deal with this usurper decisively! Just relax and keep watching. You will smile again

Meanwhile, the Op should rename this thread to be now known as "the lamentations of APC". I see a lot of weeping and wailing here

GEJ is becoming too pedestrian which is good for the president of a country like Nigeria. While meddling in the affairs of HOR which is entirely another arm of the government? What happened to doctrine of separation of power and to think that the Attorney General and Minister of justice was in the meeting where such decision was taken. How can the President, govs, SGF, PDP Chairman and other top government official sit down for hours and the only decision they could make is to take the law into their hands (jungle justice)? Why not approach the court to declare his seat vacant or lobby members of the house to impeach him as the constitution demands? Since when did PDP and police become the highest court in the land to be interpreting the constitution. With the spate of insecurity in the land now, it's a very dangerous thing for the President to use the IGP to withdraw the Speaker's security aides especially when the move is unconstitutional because those that do not wish the country well may seize that opportunity to attack the speaker just to create more troubles in the land. I think the country already has enough security challenges, so if GEJ is wise he would not take any step that is capable of plunging the country into more bloodshed.

It is now very clear that GEJ want to play do or die politics in 2015. This guy is ready to burn this country to be returned as President. VERY SOON HE WIL UNLEASH HIS TRAINED ASSASSIN AND SNIPERS on people that will attempt to resist him. Most of the people supporting him blindly will regret doing so. Nigeria may burn in 2015.



















_{to eru ba joba eniyan o ni ku kan} when a slave becomes king he destroys the true borns

Chei! See how Tambuwal smoke ganjaweed and lost his speakership.
Political scientists if you want to do research on how not to defect from one political party to another bikonu study Tambuwal.
I hope he will be barred from entry into national assembly premises forever

Yomieluv:
They can rant all they want,but it must be within the constitution,and not some conjured imagination of some perceived PDP chieftains.

His defection has dealt a big blow on PDP,no wonder PDP keeps hyper-ventilating like a possessed witch.

Don't be a silly cun.t

If Tambuwal does not do the honorable thing and vacate the house, then the PDP will enforce section 68(g).

This is a man who has been a mole and clog in the same political party that ensured his ticket to the house.

And if you think PDP are bound to lose more on the legal precedence this case will set then look at Rivers, Kano, Imo, Edo and Sokoto that all went to APC as a result of defection.

This is why liar mohammed is screaming like a tart out in the yard.

The APC will do well to avoid a legal tsunami by asking this traitor to vacate his seat and concentrate on his gubernatorial ambitions.

Yomieluv:
They can rant all they want,but it must be within the constitution,and not some conjured imagination of some perceived PDP chieftains.

His defection has dealt a big blow on PDP,no wonder PDP keeps hyper-ventilating like a possessed witch.

bros ,this comment of ur is highly hilarious . If the defection of 4 pdp state governors to another party has no negative effect on the strenght and solidity of pdp ,why should the defection of tambuwal have any effect? The problem is most of you rate tambuwal more than he is. Tambuwal doesn't even call the shots in his state.you have to understand that tambuwal became the speaker not because he is a power broker or figure in the house but because the northerners in the house were against gej choice who was a yoruba lady,and his emergence was also helped a lot by tinubu who made sure the yorubas in the house rise against their fellow yoruba person and support tambuwal. So please stop making tambuwal look like a demi god or something. He knows pdp will not give him any ticket not even for councillorship ,therefore the only option left for him was to defect to a party that will give him a tangible ticket,this is what is called political survival .even if he isn't given the governorship ticket in apc he knows he will be give a rep ticket. Tambuwal support base in his state isn't much and he relies mainly on the support base of his governor .so there is no serious blow he is causing pdp.

37 reps defected n d court is foot-dragging till today. LG chairmen defected in zamfara n they were sacked witout d court order n nobody talked. Nw tambuwal has defected, let fg do everything. Let him n apc b d ones dat will go to court to xperience their foot-dragging till may next yr.

ProfessorPeter:
Chei! See how Tambuwal smoke ganjaweed and lost his speakership.
Political scientists if you want to do research on how not to defect from one political party to another bikonu study Tambuwal.
I hope he will be barred from entry into national assembly premises forever

The guy nah confirm magga.


He lost his position as number 4 citizen where he would have been more politically relevant in his over ambitious bid to become president only for tinubu to offer his governorship ticket that is not certain.

The guy nah real ab0ki dunce.

But I don't blame him. He took his position for granted because he arrived there on fluke and ab0ki waiver card.

Dunce.

engrfcuksmtin:
It is now very clear that GEJ want to play do or die politics in 2015. This guy is ready to burn this country to be returned as President. VERY SOON HE WIL UNLEASH HIS TRAINED ASSASSIN AND SNIPERS on people that will attempt to resist him. Most of the people supporting him blindly will regret doing so. Nigeria may burn in 2015.



















_{to eru ba joba eniyan o ni ku kan} when a slave becomes king he destroys the true borns

Make im siddon dey look as una won bring im government down?


This is politics and as APC has decided to play dirty on all angles then GEJ will do well to counter stones with fire.


You asked for it now you are crying.


Useless double standard APC dunce

MudRaker:




Make im siddon dey look as una won bring im government down?


This is politics and as APC has decided to play dirty on all angles then GEJ will do well to counter stones with fire.


You asked for it now you are crying.


Useless double standard APC dunce

Mr Man am a spectator watching the drama and the views expressed by me is from what I observed. Take it or leave it GEJ is lawless, crude and corrupt. He does not give a damn about you, me or an average Nigerian on the street.

MudRaker:


The guy nah confirm magga.


He lost his position as number 4 citizen where he would have been more politically relevant in his over ambitious bid to become president only for tinubu to offer his governorship ticket that is not certain.

The guy nah real ab0ki dunce.

But I don't blame him. He took his position for granted because he arrived there on fluke and ab0ki waiver card.

Dunce.

many don't understand the way gej is controlling pdp. Unlike obj who due to his military background and rank believes in open and direct confrontation ,gej always allows his political enemies to make costly mistakes before he pounces on them and instead of intimidating enemies withing pdp ,he pushes them out giving them the impression that they are important and that they can do without pdp,once they are out he shuts the doors on them.this was exactly the same way he pushed out those 5 state governors.

MudRaker:


The guy nah confirm magga.


He lost his position as number 4 citizen where he would have been more politically relevant in his over ambitious bid to become president only for tinubu to offer his governorship ticket that is not certain.

The guy nah real ab0ki dunce.

But I don't blame him. He took his position for granted because he arrived there on fluke and ab0ki waiver card.

Dunce.

He did not learn much from ghali Naaba or Bello Masari

engrfcuksmtin:
Mr Man am a spectator watching the drama and the views expressed by me is from what I observed. Take it or leave it GEJ is lawless, crude and corrupt. He does not give a damn about you, me or an average Nigerian on the street.

You are observing the match via radio commentary by liar Mohammed.

Be objective, do your own research and you will see that the messiahs in your satanic APC are the devils on the prowl who are not interested in bettering Nigeria but only interested in regime Chang for the sake of continuing their avarices and looting.


How can you expect any sane being to be on the same side with that drug lord and d0pe addict cum master forger, Tinubu?

Or is it that your mythical saint Buhari whose regime was the most brutal Nigerians hade ever witnessed?

As far as I am concerned, Jonathan is not for this generation. He belongs to another more enlightened generation some where in the future. Not this generation that is usd to fiat and military dictatorship that were trained by the cane to respect authority.

All the allegations Jonathan's detractors have levelled against his administration have fell flat on them.

Continue to buy into the lies and cheap rhetoric. It makes you look more stupid to accept cheap propaganda and Lies spewed by the APC.

Na wah ooooh for some people. Plenty plenty illiterates in this country.

MudRaker:

The guy nah confirm magga.
He lost his position as number 4 citizen where he would have been more politically relevant in his over ambitious bid to become president only for tinubu to offer his governorship ticket that is not certain.
The guy nah real ab0ki dunce.
But I don't blame him. He took his position for granted because he arrived there on fluke and ab0ki waiver card.
Dunce.

onatisi:
many don't understand the way gej is controlling pdp. Unlike obj who due to his military background and rank believes in open and direct confrontation ,gej always allows his political enemies to make costly mistakes before he pounces on them and instead of intimidating enemies withing pdp ,he pushes them out giving them the impression that they are important and that they can do without pdp,once they are out he shuts the doors on them.this was exactly the same way he pushed out those 5 state governors.

Machevielian at the core.

A slow acting poison best suited to be administered to men of quick temper.

GEJ keeps making them feel stup1d at the end even though they will claim he is dumb.

Nigeria politics has finally arrived with GEJ. Look how Amaechi is appearing madder by the day. GEJ simply ignored the fool and now his madness level is clear for all to see.


Tinubu remains a distant second in Nigeria politics.

He created a brand for all these desperadoes to cling on and on the last lap only him will smile to the bank.

FastShipping:
Empty threat from PDP. They should ask what happened in the case of Obasanjo vs Atiku in 2006 when Atiku (sitting VP) decamped to AC. Tambuwal remains the Speaker of the House till May 2015.

the constitution made it clear for the house n Senate
BTW why should him de complain when I don't have security detail n move about freely anytime n anywhere

Yomieluv:
They can rant all they want,but it must be within the constitution,and not some conjured imagination of some perceived PDP chieftains.

His defection has dealt a big blow on PDP,no wonder PDP keeps hyper-ventilating like a possessed witch.

In your own assessment, pls kindly let us know how much political capital Rookie Tambuwal has in the scheme of things?

arewafederation:
Na wah ooooh for some people. Plenty plenty illiterates in this country.

Ab0ki it is too early to spew insults.