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, Aminu Tambuwal, 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.
No fewer than 85 PDP aspirants have been screened to contest the 24 seats at the Enugu StateHouse of Assembly in 2015.
The Chairman of the Screening Committee and former Minister of Sports, Mr Bala Kaoje, disclosed this in Enugu while addressing newsmen on the outcome of the screening on Friday.
Kaoje, who adjudged the exercise as successful, commended the aspirants for their good conduct and orderliness.
Rtd. Air Vice Marshal Terry Okorodudu, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspirant for Delta South Senatorial District, has warned against subverting the democratic process through incumbency or money factors.
He gave the warning while addressing newsmen at the PDP national headquarters while submitting his nomination forms for the 2015 election on Friday in Abuja.
“The people must be allowed to speak and a democratic process cannot be subverted by incumbency or money factors, otherwise, the stake itself will be jeopardised.
Former Kwara State governor, Senator Bukola Saraki, on Friday said he averted the same crisis currently going on between governors of the Peoples Democratic Party and their Senators in 2011.
The former governor said he used his position then as the chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, his experience and relationship to nip the same crisis at the bud.
The Senator representing Kwara Central at the National Assembly said this while addressing reporters in Ilorin, the Kwara State, Friday.
Saraki, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, said President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid has made him incapable of confronting the governors.
President Goodluck Jonathan, has assured the aggrieved members of the Peoples Democratic Party in the senate, that he would ensure that the party leadership addresses the issue that sparked off their protest in the National Assembly this week.
The senators had adjourned plenary abruptly on Tuesday and Wednesday to protest the alleged overbearing influence of the governors in the emergence of candidates that would fly the party’s flag in next year’s general election.
Specifically, the PDP caucus in the red chamber, alleged that the governors had hijacked the party’s structures and used it to manipulate the last weekend ward congresses, which produced delegates that would elect the PDP candidates for the general election.
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