TAMBUWAL LOSES ROUND ONE AS COURT STRIKES OUT HIS SUIT ON WITHDRAWAL OF SECURITY AIDES A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday struck out one of the suits filed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal against the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Inspector General of Police (IG) challenging the constitutionality of the withdrawal of his security aides. The same court also fixed November 27 for the hearing of the motion for joinder and amendment of originating summons filed by Tambuwal in another suit. The suit was struck out after the lawyer who filed it on behalf of Tambuwal, Dr Tunji Abayomi, applied to withdraw it. When the matter was called for mention, Abayomi told the court that his client had earlier called him before the court sat that the suit should be withdrawn. He noted that the application was very different from the other suit, adding that he was basically asking the court to determine the constitutionality of the withdrawal of Tambuwal’s security aides. Counsel to the defendants in the suit, Ade Okeaya-Inneh (SAN), did not oppose the application but prayed the court for an order of dismissal on the grounds that they have filed a response to the application. He further prayed the court to make an order as to cost. Opposing the application, Abayomi contended that the defendants had not joined issue with them and that the matter was for mention. Delivering a short ruling, the trial judge, Justice Ahmed Mohammed, held that the defendants had only responded to the interlocutory application and not the substantive one. He further held that the implication was that the defendants have not yet joined issue with the plaintiff. The Judge, on that ground, struck out the suit with no order as to cost. In the second suit filed by Tambuwal whereby he is challenging the withdrawal of his aides and seeking to stop the House of Representatives from removing him as the Speaker of the House, the court adjourned till November 27 for hearing. Counsel to Tambuwal in the suit, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), who led about seven other SANs and 65 lawyers, brought an application to amend the originating summons. In the amended application, Tambuwal is asking the court to determine whether the AGF and IG have the power to interpret the constitution to the effect of withdrawing his aides. Some other parties have also approached the court seeking an order of joiner in the suit. Why not? Responding to the application to amend originating summons, Okeaya-Inneh prayed the court for a short adjournment so as to respond to it. The court had earlier stopped the defendants from re-convening the House of Representatives before the next adjourned date. The court then also refused to reverse the withdrawal of Tambuwal’s aides but rather gave an order of accelerated hearing. Tambuwal had approached the court to challenge the withdrawal of his aides and also seek to stop the House of Representatives to declare his seat vacant as the speaker. Joined as defendants in the suit are the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), its national chairman, Adamu Mu’azu, the House of Representatives, deputy speaker, IG, INEC and AGF. The defendants had brought a preliminary objection against the application, asking the court to dismiss it. Tambuwal is a traitor and should be treated as such. He is a rebel who plotted against the party he rode onto power and the exalted office of the Speaker of the house. So now that he has left that platform shamelessly, he should be shown the way out of that office. Tambuwal must go. Period.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Nov 2014 04:47:18 +0000
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