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Senate President Bukola Saraki, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have condemned Wednesday’s invasion of the Senate by thugs who carted away of the mace during plenary.
They described the incident as a direct assault on the legislature and bold attempt to truncate Nigeria’s democracy.
On Wednesday, thugs suspected to be loyalists of the suspended senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District, Ovie Omo-Agege, invaded the Senate during plenary and took away the mace.
But Speaking from Washington where he is attending the Spring Meeting of the World Bank/International Monetary Fund (IMF), Saraki commended the swift reaction by the leadership and members of the House of Representives in demonstrating their solidarity with the red chamber and thereby sending a strong signal that enemies of democracy and those who want to undermine the legislature will be resisted by all parliamentarians.
In a statement by Yusuph Olaniyonu, Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to the Senate President, it quoted Saraki as saying: “I have just been informed that some hoodlums invaded the Senate chambers, forcefully taken away the mace and assaulted some of our Sergeant-at-arms on chamber duties. I am delighted that the Senate stood up to them by disregarding their unreasonable and shameful action and went on with the day’s proceedings as slated in the Order Paper.
“My commendation goes to my deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, other members of the leadership, my colleagues, the leadership and members of the House of Representives for standing in defence of democracy, parliamentary sanctity and constitutionalism.
“With the way the Senate has defied those seeking to undermine it, we have sent out a strong signal that we are always ready to defend our constitutional mandate and nothing will deter us from this.
“I associate myself with the comments of the Deputy Senate President that we are ready to get to the roots of this assault on democracy and ensure that those who are responsible, no matter how remote, will be brought to justice”.
Reacting to the incident, Abubakar described the attack as a dangerous precedent and an assault on Nigeria’s democracy by anti-democratic elements.
“I am utterly embarrassed, shocked and outraged by this ugly development because it is not only a threat to a major democratic institution, but also represents a grave danger to the survival of our democracy.”
Atiku Abubakar said that given the tension in the country, the timing of the attack could not have come at a worse time for Nigeria, and that using illegal and unconstitutional methods to threaten the authority of a key democratic institution is unacceptable, evil, and condemnable.
The former Vice President noted that it is inconceivable that hoodlums could force their way into the Senate chamber and take away the Mace.
“If criminals could commit such security breach with impunity, it means that our entire democracy is in danger”, Atiku said and warned “those behind this illegality to avoid creating a monster that could consume them.”
Atiku Abubakar reminded Nigerians that so many people have died in order to bring this democracy about and therefore called for immediate investigation into the incident and the prompt prosecution of those involved.
“It is unacceptable and reprehensible to subject the National Assembly to this intimidation and humiliation. This attack by thugs should not go unpunished no matter who is involved”, he added.
Abubakar while likening democratic institutions to the human body said “if one organ is harmed, it affects others.”
He urged those pushing the county’s political temperature to dangerous levels to desist from it as they are playing a Russian roulette with Nigeria’s hard-earned democracy.
Also reacting, the Peoples Democratic Party described the invasion of the Senate and seizure of the mace as an attack on the legislature.
A statement by Kola Ologbondiyan, spokesperson of the party, said Wednesday’s incident has been emboldened by series of interferences and direct attacks by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Buhari Presidency on the institution of the National Assembly, particularly the Senate.
“The APC has foisted on our nation an irredeemable autocracy, which has in three years of governance, gone beyond limits to force Nigerians to accept a government that has no respect for freedom and the ideals of democracy, particularly the constitutional separation of powers.
“Is it not strange that a legislative day appointed to further deliberate on the re-ordering of sequence of election will be the day that strange elements would invade the National Assembly, particularly, the hallowed chambers of the Senate, to disrupt legislative proceeding and seize the mace?
“Equally strange is the compromising of security in the National Assembly paving the way for the invasion.
“The parliament, all over the world, is the bastion of democracy, without which government becomes autocratic and totalitarian.
“We urge Nigerians to pause and reflect on the series of assaults on our legislature under the current dispensation; the persecution and harassment of the leaders and members of the Senate on trumped-up charges, including declaring a serving senator wanted by the Police.
“We therefore charge the National Assembly to bring forth every legislative instrument to protect itself from external aggressions as well as unravelling every persons, offices and institutions that played any form of roles in this wild attempt to scuttle our hard earned democracy.
“Our nation has accepted democracy as the best form of governance. Those whose adrenaline cannot accommodate democracy and its constitutionally guaranteed tenets should either shape in or be forced to conform with the best ideals of democracy” the statement read.
