Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and Senate Minority Leader George Akume yesterday faulted the usurpation of the judiciary's role by Acting Inspector General of Police Suleiman Abba who withdrew House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal's security.

The governor spoke in Ilorin. The senator issued a statement in Abuja.

Ahmed described the furore generated by the Speaker's defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as uncalled for.

He said it was the business of the judiciary and not that of any other organ of government to interpret laws and the legal implication of political actions.

Ahmed questioned the constitutionality of the unilateral reduction in the allocations to states and local governments by the Federal Government, adding that it needed to be subjected to examination by the judiciary.

The governor spoke during the swearing-in of members of the reconstituted Kwara State Judicial Service Commission.

He said: "It is the business of the judiciary and not that of any other arm or organ of government to interpret laws of the land and the legal implication of political action, such as cross-carpeting at the National Assembly and indeed the executive."

Ahmed said the unilateral reduction in the allocation due to states from the Federation Account, allegedly due to fluctuations in global oil prices and oil theft, were gradually impoverishing states and local governments.

His word: "If this situation is not addressed unequivocally and quickly, the next few months will prove even more difficult for our state and indeed all others that are burdened by the unsubstantiated cuts in the Federation Account allocation."

Akume described the withdrawal of Tambuwal's security as another "classic act of Executive impunity and lawlessness".

This act only adds to several others which have characterised this administration and threatens the growth of democracy which is not measured by existence of democratic structures but by promotion of the rule of law.

"The hilarious recourse of the police to constitutional interpretation, which is the exclusive jurisdiction of the judiciary, is to say the least most unfortunate.

"One wonders why the police could only see and read S.68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution but was blind to subsection (2) of the same provision, which vests the power to declare a member's seat vacant on the ground of defection to only the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

"One also wonders why the police could not advise itself that since there are pending litigations on the subject matter, they should wait for the outcome of judicial interpretation on the contentious constitutional provision. Recently, Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State defected to the PDP with all the Labour Party members of the House of Representatives and Ondo State House of Assembly, including its Speaker, but the police neither withdrew the Security detail of Governor Mimiko, the state Assembly Speaker, nor effected the removal of those members from the various legislative Houses.

"No one is in doubt that the police IG is merely being used by President Jonathan to achieve a partisan agenda. This is absurd. This is unlawful and immoral. It is particularly absurd because, President Jonathan only just returned from the Holy Land of Israel. He had travelled to Israel on Holy pilgrimage in company of CAN President Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and other men of God primarily to seek the favour of God in his re-election bid and also to pray for the overall progress of Nigeria.

"Nigeria expects on return a sober, penitent and spiritually-rejuvenated President. Not one brazenly desecrating the constitution he swore to uphold. The President is as much qualified for VIP protection as the Speaker is. The Speaker presides over an important Chamber in the legislative arm of government which appropriates the salaries the President and entire executive arm (which includes the Police) are paid from. A temperament such as this one exhibited by Mr. President can hardly pass for a Nigerian who more than any other, living or dead, has benefited from the parliament. By act of parliament, his boss was impeached as governor and he became the governor of Bayelsa State. By application of the doctrine of necessity, the Parliament made him an Acting President.

"He thus became both Governor and President without contesting election.

Nigerians expect reciprocal respect between the two arms of government, not politics of subterfuge and arm twisting. The Parliament has its rules to handle its affairs and the President must allow the House deal with its leadership issue.

"Let all people of Goodwill rise to condemn all acts which threaten the enhancement of democratic culture, values and ethos. This is one such occasions."