Tambuwal Drives To National Assembly Without Security Details

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal Tuesday drove himself to the National Assembly without his security details following the withdrawal of same by the Police.

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Suleiman Abba, had last week ordered that the policemen attached to the office of the Speaker be withdrawn.

According to a statement issued by the Force spokesman, Mr Emmanuel Ojukwu, the action was due to Tambuwal’s defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Tambuwal did not have his security details, but he was accompanied by APC lawmakers who shielded him all through his stay.

According to reports, the Speaker was said to be at NASS to declare open two public hearings slated for 11am and 12noon respectively. One of the public hearing was jointly organised by the House Committees on Public Account and Justice, on a bill to repeal the nation’s Audit Act of 1956 urged financial experts to support an audit act, to facilitate international best practices and assist to eliminate corruption from the financial system.

Tambuwal, while speaking at the hearing noted that Nigeria must align with modern trend in digital auditing.

According to him, the extant Audit Act of about 60 years ago did not give the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation the required instrument to fight corruption.

He however said that the new act, when passed into law, would create Audit Service Commission that would enable Office of the Auditor General of the Federation to restructure auditing practice in the country.

Meanwhile, several groups and individuals have condemned the withdrawal of the speaker’s security details, saying it was against the law.

While the controversy about the speaker’s defection continues, the House of Representatives will not reconvene until December 3, and if there will be a vote as regards a possible removal, it will not happen until then.