Nigeria's police said on Thursday it had withdrawn all security personnel guarding parliament speaker Aminu Tambuwal, the country's fourth most powerful government official, following his defection to the opposition coalition.
Tambuwal defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday, a move that gave it a much needed boost in its campaign to unseat President Goodluck Jonathan in February 2015 elections.
He has not yet resigned as speaker.
The withdrawal of Tambuwal's security detail indicates how bitter the contest between Jonathan and his APC opponent could become. The top two contenders for the ticket are former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari and recently defected vice president Atiku Abubakar.
The polls are expected to be Nigeria's most closely contested since the end of military rule in 1999.
Jonathan's office confirmed on Wednesday that he will seek a second term to rule Africa's largest economy and leading energy producer.
"In view of the recent defection by the Right Honourable Aminu Waziri Tambuwal ... the Nigeria Police Force has redeployed its personnel attached to his office," force spokesman Emmanuel Ojukwu said in a statement.
After the vice president and senate president, the speaker of the lower legislative house is third in the presidential line of succession.
Senior Nigerian politicians usually travel with a whole convoy of police cars and armed protection that provide security and help them push through traffic. Wealthy Nigerians often simply hire federal police privately for this purpose.
Officials at the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) have hinted that he should resign as speaker, since he was elected on a PDP platform.
"The speaker knows full well what is needful and honourable of him since his new party is in the minority," PDP spokesman Olisa Metuh said in a statement on Tuesday.
Tambuwal's defection added to signs that the elections may be becoming more polarised around religion -- Tambuwal is an northern aristocrat from the powerful Sokoto Caliphate, Nigeria's highest Islamic authority, while Jonathan is a Christian southerner.
Such polarisation could lead to violence if it ignites sectarian tensions after the results, analysts say, as happened in 2011 when 800 people were killed in riots after Buhari lost.
The withdrawal of Tambuwal's security detail indicates how bitter the contest between Jonathan and his APC opponent could become. The top two contenders for the ticket are former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari and recently defected vice president Atiku Abubakar.
The polls are expected to be Nigeria's most closely contested since the end of military rule in 1999.
Jonathan's office confirmed on Wednesday that he will seek a second term to rule Africa's largest economy and leading energy producer.
"In view of the recent defection by the Right Honourable Aminu Waziri Tambuwal ... the Nigeria Police Force has redeployed its personnel attached to his office," force spokesman Emmanuel Ojukwu said in a statement.
After the vice president and senate president, the speaker of the lower legislative house is third in the presidential line of succession.
Senior Nigerian politicians usually travel with a whole convoy of police cars and armed protection that provide security and help them push through traffic. Wealthy Nigerians often simply hire federal police privately for this purpose.
Officials at the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) have hinted that he should resign as speaker, since he was elected on a PDP platform.
"The speaker knows full well what is needful and honourable of him since his new party is in the minority," PDP spokesman Olisa Metuh said in a statement on Tuesday.
Tambuwal's defection added to signs that the elections may be becoming more polarised around religion -- Tambuwal is an northern aristocrat from the powerful Sokoto Caliphate, Nigeria's highest Islamic authority, while Jonathan is a Christian southerner.
Such polarisation could lead to violence if it ignites sectarian tensions after the results, analysts say, as happened in 2011 when 800 people were killed in riots after Buhari lost.
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