Inspector General of Police, IGP Suleiman Abba, today responded to the summons of the House of Representatives in Abuja but refused to recognise Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal as Speaker of the lower chamber of parliament.

Abba, who appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Police Affairs, turned his back against Tambuwal, who is no longer regarded as Speaker by the Presidency as a result of his recent defection from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the opposition All Progressives Congress.

Abba had been summoned to explain why the police prevented Tambuwal and some other APC Reps entry into the National Assembly on November 20 and even tear gased them. Angrey Reps demanded that he should leave, accusing him of disrespecting the House and being political by refusing to recognise the Speaker. The committee had to adjourn sine die. Abba had before then denied that the police deliberately fired tear gas at the lawmakers, saying that the incident was being investigated.

Prior to the confirmation of his appointment, Abba had as Acting IGP on October 30 ordered the redeployment of security personnel attached to Tambuwal. The Force PRO predicated the action on Tambuwal’s defection, on October 28, from PDP to APC.

A statement by Force PRO Emmanuel Ojukwu had said: “In view of the recent defection by the Right Honourable Aminu Waziri Tanbuwal, CFR, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, from the People Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressive Congress (APC), and having regard to the clear provision of section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has redeployed its personnel attached to his office.”

•Photo shows IGP Suleiman Abba.