The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, has told the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Suleiman Abba, that he was ready for any legal invitation by the police.
There were indications on Friday that the police Chief was making plans to arrest the Speaker over Thursday’s drama at the National Assembly.
Tambuwal criticized the police for its show of shame at the National Assembly premises where men of the force engaged in a fruitless effort to stop him and some other legislators from sitting over a request for an extension of emergency rule in the north east made by President Goodluck Jonathan.
In a statement issued on Saturday and signed by Tambuwal’s media aide, Imam Imam, the Speaker said it was disgraceful to see the police that ought to be neutral institution, engaged itself in the act of illegality and partisanship.
“The attention of the Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, has been drawn to publications in the media to the effect that the Inspector General of Police has ordered that he, Speaker, be invited to the Force Headquarters and that he be arrested if he resisted”, the statement said.
The statement added that Tambuwal is a citizen of Nigeria who obeys law and has no immunity against arrest, as well as prosecution except the privileges that may be provided by the Legislative Powers and Privileges Act.
“Accordingly, the Speaker states for the records that he is available, ready and willing to answer any lawful invitation from any of the security agencies on any matter for which they may require his attention” it said.
“Most disgraceful is the false statement later issued by the Police in which they claimed that in the lawful exercise of their duties Aminu Tambuwal arrived the venue with a motley crowd, who broke the cordon, assaulted the Police and evaded due process”, it added.
The statement further said that members of the House who obeyed a call to perform an urgent and critical national assignment cannot be described by any self-respecting institution as a motley crowd.