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THE Inspector General of Police, Abba Sulaiman on Wednesday, pointedly refused to recognise Honourable Aminu Tambuwal as the Speaker of the House for now, saying that there was a law suit on the status of Tambuwal as the Speaker.

The House of Representatives Committee on Police Affairs had summoned the police boss over the invasion of the National Assembly by armed policemen, before teargas canisters were thrown at the Speaker.

The police boss had, last week Friday, sent the Deputy Inspector General, Operations, Mr Sotonye Wakama, to represent him, but the House Committee rejected his representation.

However, while addressing the lawmakers, the IGP refused to recognise Honourable Tambuwal as the Speaker of the House, a development that led to the abrupt adjournment of the meeting.

Earlier, the police boss had informed the lawmakers that security beef-up at the National Assembly last week Thursday was based on credible security report that some hoodlums, sponsored by All Progressives Congress (APC), were planning to hijack the security at National Assembly, Presidential Villa and INEC headquarters.

He added that "bearing in mind what happened to the parliament in Burkina Faso on October 30, 2014, he had to strengthen the security."

This, according to him, included ensuring that the operational procedure of National Assembly, which is to ensure members identify themselves and be screened, was complied with.

"Some of the principal officers complied until when Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, at the first gate, came with quite a number of suspected thugs. So the second gate was closed and security reinforced," he stated.

At this point, some members, including Honourables Akeem Muniru, Chris Etta, Victor Nwokolo, moved that the meeting be adjourned, but the chairman of the committee, Honourable Usman Kumo, called for calm.

Honourable Muniru, while arguing Abba's stance on the status of the Speaker, said "the IGP must retract his statement calling the Speaker, 'Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal' or I take my leave, as I would deem this sitting an illegal one.

"I can't participate in a hearing where the office of the Speaker, through whose authority we are having this meeting, is not even recognised by an appointee of the executive."

Honourable Nwokolo said "I agree with the earlier speaker on the issues at stake, which has to do with the IGP retracting his disrespectful statement about the office of the Speaker."

At this point, chairman of the committee asked the IGP directly: "Is Aminu Waziri-Tambuwal the speaker of the House of Representatives or not?"

But the IGP, in his response, said "Mr Chairman, you know that matters before the courts are subjudice. Commenting on them is subjudice until they are disposed of."

The IGP's response, however, led to the abrupt adjournment of the meeting.‎