Tambuwal: House rejects plan to reconvene plenary

Tambuwal

Mu’azu, others mount pressure on PDP Reps

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders have embarked on some desperate measures to seize the House from Speaker Aminu Tambuwal.

Party Chairman Adamu Mu’azu is set to meet today the party’s caucus in the House — in a move to get members’ support for a plot to impeach Tambuwal, who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Besides, Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha is under pressure to reconvene plenary, which Tambuwal suspended till December 3.

But the House warned yesterday that such a plan was illegal.

In a statement, House spokesman Zakari Mohammed said the rule book is clear on reconvening the House.

According to him, only the Speaker is empowered to reconvene the House after it has been adjourned for one reason or the other.

The statement reads: “The House of Representatives adjourned sitting of its plenary on 28th of October to 3rd December 2014 to allow members of the House carry out pre Pre- Budget oversight activities in preparation for the 2015 Budget and also to meet the political calendar of all the political parties.

“This adjournment was unanimously approved by all the Principal Officers of the House without dissent and the motion was moved by Hon Mulikat- Adeola-Akande, the Majority Leader .The Speaker, Rt. Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal approved with the Gavel.

“There has been intense media focus on this adjournment and media inquiries on the appropriate procedure for re- convening of the House of Representatives from its Recess , if it becomes necessary. The following clarification has become imperative.

“The procedure for reconvening or Re-Assembly of the House is contained in the House Standing Orders made pursuant to Section 60 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which empowers the House to regulate its own procedure, including the procedure for Summoning and Recess of the House.

“Order V, Rule 18(2) of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives provides as follows;

“Whenever the House stands adjourned either to a date fixed by Resolution or the Rules of the House, and it is represented by the Leaders of the Political Parties in the House to the Speaker that the public interest requires that the House should meet on an earlier or a later date or time than that on which it stands adjourned, the Speaker MAY give notice accordingly, and the House shall meet on the date and at the time stated in the notice.”

“This means that the Leaders of all the political parties in the House, especially the Majority and Minority Leaders respectively, MUST consent before the representation is made to the Speaker who has a discretion to agree or not.

“This briefing is for the information and guidance of all Nigerians”.

PeoplesDemocratic Party (PDP) leaders are facing a tough task getting House of Representatives members to remove Speaker Aminu Tambuwal.

The PDP has been mounting pressure on its members in the House to reconvene the House and remove the Speaker.

Tambuwal’s security detail has been withdrawn by Inspector General of Police Sulaiman Abba – a move that has received widespread condemnation.

The PDP leadership has slated a meeting for today with its lawmakers in the House.

It was summoned by party Chairman Adamu Mu’azu. Ahead of today’s meeting the PDP house caucus met in Abuja on Saturday night.

They have tabled three conditions before Muazu for the removal of Tambuwal.

The conditions are: •automatic tickets for members who are governorship, senatorial and seeking a return to the House;

•a bond to clip the wings of governors who have hijacked all the processes for free and fair primaries; and

• freedom to elect whoever they prefer as Speaker instead of foisting House Leader Mulikat Akande-Adeola on them.

The APC caucus in the House filed a case seeking an injunction to stop the PDP leaders from reconvening the House till December 3.

Amid the looming war in the House, the Presidency was rattled by a statement from the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) declaring the withdrawal of Tambuwal’s security as illegal.

It was also gathered that the Chairman of PDP Governors Forum, Akwa Ibom Governor Godswill Akpabio, confronted Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha for allowing the PDP Caucus in the House to lose out.

But Ihedioha reportedly fired back, asking a “dumbfounded” Akpabio what the forum had done to assist the caucus to consolidate its grip on the House.

PDP Representatives met on Saturday in Abuja on the invitation of Mu’azu.

A source at the session said: “We had a pre-meeting session since the agenda was obvious to all of us. Most of us were angry that it is only when the party wants to use us for selfish end that we are considered important.

“We cannot remember when last Muazu and the NWC met us on policy issues, the development of the nation and the fortune of the party.

“The party did not even deem it fit to put us into confidence on the modalities for the 2015 poll primaries and how to retain good hands among us. The party even had the gut to tell all House members from Bayelsa State to forget about second term ticket. Now, we are relevant because of plans to remove Tambuwal.”

Another PDP Representative said: “We have come up with two conditions which the party must meet for the removal of the Speaker.

“One, the party must give us automatic tikets irrespective of which office we are seeking. Those aspiring to be governors, senators and second term in the House of Representatives should be given automatic chances.

“We insisted that we won’t sign for the House to reconvene until the issue of automatic ticket is sorted out by the party.

“Secondly, the party should check the governors who are deliberately frustrating the aspiration of most of our members in 2015. These governors must stop imposition of candidates; we want free and fair primaries.

“We want freedom to choose whoever we want as Speaker after the removal of Tambuwal. We do not want the party to foist the House Leader on us.”

As part of its counter-plot, the APC Caucus in the House will today head for court, seeking an injunction to restrain PDP members from reconvening the House.

The Federal Government was on Saturday rattled by a statement from the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), which declared the withdrawal of Tambuwal’s security aides as illegal.

Since the statement was issued, NBA President Augustine Alegeh (SAN) is said to have been under intense pressure from some Presidency officials.

“But the NBA leadership stood by its position on Tambuwal and asked the government to allow the court to make a pronouncement,” another source said.

The anti-Tambuwal project is, however, causing disaffection within the ranks and file of the party.

It was learnt that at a meeting convened last Thursday at the Presidential Villa, Akpabio confronted Ihedioha.

A PDP source added: “In the presence of President Goodluck Jonathan, Akpabio confronted the deputy speaker on why the PDP Caucus was being taken for granted by the opposition. Like a headmaster, Akpabio was shouting.

“But Ihedioha fired back and asked Akpabio to explain what the PDP Governors Forum had done to support the PDP Caucus in the House.

“Those at the session had to calm frayed nerves to restore normalcy.”