HeadlineTambuwal Moves To Stop Plan To Oust Him As Speaker, Sues FG,...

Tambuwal Moves To Stop Plan To Oust Him As Speaker, Sues FG, PDP

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… Wants Security Aides Restored

SAN FRANCISCO, October 31, (THEWILL) –As controversy continues to trail his defection from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal , Friday moved swiftly to stop plans by the Federal Government and PDP to sack him as Speaker.

He is also seeking the restoration of his security aides who were withdrawn by the Inspector General of Police following his defection.

In a suit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, Tambuwal, who was accompanied by his aides, loyalists and lawyers asked the court to stop the Federal Government and PDP from sacking him as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The suit filed on his behalf by his lawyer, Jilbrin Okutepa (SAN) , listed the PDP, its chairman, Adamu Muazu, the House of Representatives, the Deputy Speaker, the Inspector General of Police, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney General of the Federation as the 1st-7th Defendants.

In the suit, Tambuwal averred that ‎he was not appointed Speaker of the House of Representatives because he was a member of the PDP and that he did not have to be a member of the PDP to hold office as the Speaker.

The Speaker maintained that as a result of the crisis in the PDP, the party was factionalised into two groups: the PDP and the New PDP, with one faction led by Alhaji Bambanga Tukur while the other was led by Alhaji Kawu Baraje, saying he had always belonged to the new PDP‎ led by Baraje.

According to the suit, “The plaintiffs aver that the division within the party took a dramatic turn at the special convention of the 31st August 2013 at the Eagles Square, Abuja when many of the delegates who were members of the new PDP faction staged walk-out on the PDP and held a parallel convention at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.”

He wants the court to declare that the attempt to declare his seat vacant as a member and speaker is unlawful and unconstitutional.

He further asked the court to declare that he remains a member and the speaker of the house of Representatives until the expiration of his current term of office on the 5th day of June, 2015.

Tambuwal also wants the court to declare that withdrawal of his security details when he has not been removed from office as speaker and member of the House of Representatives is illegal and unconstitutional.

He therefore prayed for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from taking any steps to interfere or infringe on his rights and privileges as the speaker of the House of Representatives and as a member of the house before the expiration of his term.

He also wants the court to give an order of perpetual injunction restraining INEC from accepting any nomination of candidates or organising a bye – election for the purpose of replacing him.

Tambuwal also prayed for an order of mandatory injunction compelling the IGP and the AGF to restore his security details and all other rights, benefits and privileges appurtenant to members of and the office of the Honorable Speaker.

In the 40-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Tambuwal himself, he averred that “On the 28th day of October 2014, the PDP and its national chairman threatened to forcibly remove me from office as the speaker of the house of Representatives adding that the threat was made public as reported by some national dailies of October 29”.

He also alleged that House of Representatives and the Deputy Speaker on October 30 began to strategise on how to unlawfully remove me from office as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

“That I know that on the 30th day of October 30, 2014, the IG at the behest of defendants withdrew my security details hereby exposing me to danger of bodily harm all in their bid to forcibly remove from office”, Tambuwal stated.

He added that he has become apprehensive that the defendants will use unlawful means to make good their threats if the court does not intervene to stop them.

In a separate suit filed by Dr. Tunji Abayomi on behalf of Tambuwal, Abayomi prayed for a temporary order of court directing the return of Tambuwal’s security aides pending the determination of the suit.

Abayomi also asked the court for an order restraining the defendants from interfering with the rights and privileges whatsoever attached to the office of the Speaker pending the determination of the suit.

However, the two cases are yet to be assigned to a judge.

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