DEFECTION: PDP Can't Impeach Tambuwal Unless...

The leadership of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP has admitted it may not that simple to unseat the Speaker of the House of Representative, Mr. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal who recently defected to the All Progressive Congress.

The PDP on Tuesday acknowledged it may lack the two-third support which is required to force the speaker out, Premium Times reports.

To impeach the speaker, 240 out of the 360 members of the house would have to agree on the move and currently, the PDP leads with 189, while the APC has 159 members and the remaining slots is occupied by smaller opposition parties.



Speaking on the impeachment matter, the deputy Majority Leader, Leo Ogor said: “I think we need to be mindful of the constitution. According to the constitution, you would need a two-third majority to remove a sitting Speaker. Do we have two-third? That is another matter we need to ponder over.


“We await the ruling of the court on the matter. And I think this is one great opportunity for us to call on the Judiciary, they are also an arm of government – that justice delayed is justice denied. And if this subjected matter is before them, it behoves on them to make the necessary interpretations so that we can lay this issue to rest in respect of defection.”

He added that the PDP will watch Tambuwal closely to see how manages the house.

For months there have been speculations that Tambuwal will defect to the APC but he kept denying it.

His attendance of an APC meeting in his home state, Sokoto further fuelled reports that he was dumping the PDP for APC.

On Tuesday, October 28, 2014, Tambuwal brought the speculations to an end by formally announcing his defection at plenary.

He had said: “Before I hit the gavel on the motion for adjournment, I want to make this formal announcement to this House. Based on the provision of the 1999 Constitution, and having regards to the development of PDP in my own state, Sokoto State, I hereby announce my membership with the All Progressives Congress (APC).”

The House adjourned to December 3, a decision some lawmakers interpreted as an attempt to neutralise any attempt by the ruling party, PDP, to move against him.

Following his defection, the PDP national leadership said the “honourable and responsible” action for the speaker would be to resign from his position.

Tambuwal, a three-term member of the House, was elected into the House of Representatives on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).

He has held several offices in the House. In 2005, he became the Minority Leader of the House until he defected to the PDP. Upon his re-election to the House in 2007, he was also elected the Deputy Chief Whip.