MOSCOW, November 20 (Sputnik), Ekaterina Blinova — Nigerian security forces have used tear gas inside the parliament reportedly in order to prevent the opposition speaker and his supporters from voting against the president's bill to extend the state of emergency in the nort-heast of the country.
"Multiple reports, including from eye witnesses, indicated that security agents tried to block House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, who defected to the opposition last month, from entering the building," Agence France-Presse reported.
Aminu Tambuwal and his All Progressives Congress (APC) party have denounce the state of emergency imposed in May 2013 as a failure, claiming it has led to the escalation of violence in the nort-heast of the state.
Mr. Tambuwal's defection from the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) has dealt a serious blow to Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan’s leadership. Soon after the defection, the speaker of the House of Representative faced fierce criticism from PDP members, which urged the parliament to impeach him.
According to an unnamed witness, the police fired tear gas when Tambuwal and his supporters appeared at the gates of parliament and tried to enter the building.
Senate President David Mark, a "PDP stalwart", postponed voting on the crucial bill until Tuesday and shut down the assembly after the confrontation started.
"After due consultation with my colleagues in both chambers of the National Assembly on this ugly development we have therefore agreed that today's session be suspended forthwith," David Mark said as cited by Reuters.
Nigeria's Police dismissed the allegations regarding the tear-gas attack, insisting it deployed security forces as the parliament was about to be captured by "hoodlums and thugs," Reuters notes.
"In the course of this lawful exercise, Aminu Tambuwal arrived at the venue with a motley crowd, who broke the cordon, assaulted the police and evaded due process," the official statement reads.
