The Peoples Democratic Party on Wednesday ordered the embattled Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Patricia Etteh, to step aside and allow a speaker pro-tempore to preside over the debate on the N628m contract scandal in the House.
The PDP said it was wrong for Etteh to have attempted to preside over a case involving her.
The party had insisted that Etteh did nothing wrong and that she would remain as the Speaker.
But on Wednesday, the PDP made a U-turn, saying that it was wrong for Etteh to be a judge in her own case.
The party, however, insisted that the House must follow �due process� in her stepping aside.
The National Publicity Secretary, Mrs. Ime Udom, made the party�s position known at a news conference in Abuja.
Udom said that the death of Dr. Aminu Safana was a big blow to the party.
She said, �The party is in agreement that a person should not be a judge in her own case but due process should be followed.
�I feel very upset that that kind of thing can happen irrespective of political party. It is an unfortunate incident. �I�m still hoping that nobody died. It is incredible. What I watched on television shouldn�t happen in our country.�
While advising the Speaker to accept the outcome of the debate on the scandal, Udom also admonished the lawmakers to have the interest of the nation at heart in their debate.
Asked if the party will discipline its members who may be found guilty in the fracas in the House, Udom said, �The House has disciplinary measures. But the party has told its members to abide by the rule of law.�
Meanwhile, the Progressive Peoples Alliance has called for the immediate resignation of the Speaker.
The party�s spokesman, Chief Olu Akerele, said Etteh�s action was capable of inviting some adventurous military officers to take over the government and thereby derail the nation�s democracy.
The PPA said, �She should realise that it is her recalcitrant attitude in the face of glaring guilt over the scandal that led to the death of Safana.
�Her attitude is capable of inciting the military to take over the government.�