THE embattled 13 lawmakers of
the Kogi State House of Assembly, on Tuesday, raised the alarm over
increasing threat to their lives and that of their family members.
The lawmakers, who claimed to be
loyal to the suspended speaker, Honourable Abdullahi Bello, made the allegation
while addressing a press conference in Abuja.
Speaking on behalf of the faction,
chairman, House Committee on Information, Honourable Salihu Akawu Shaidu, said
the press conference became necessary, so as to call the attention of Nigerians
to the latest assault and intimidation of the 13 members of the assembly who
respected the rule of law.
According to him,”while we, the 13
members, obeyed and continue to abide by the order of the House of
Representatives suspending all legislative activities in the state, the
dissidents group of 12 members flagrantly disobeyed and continued their illegal
and unconstitutional sittings, as I am talking to you today, they held their
illegal sitting in Lokoja.”
He said “we want to alert the
president that our lives are no longer safe in Kogi State. We also call on the
Inspector General of Police and Sirector of the Department of the SSS to ensure
our security and safety of our families.”
Meanwhile, amid tight security and
against the directives of the House of Representatives, the Kogi assembly
resumed sitting on Tuesday.
Motorists were frisked and vehicles
searched, with armed anti-bomb policemen and plain clothes security operatives
at alert, perhaps to forestall breakdown of law and order.
At the sitting on Tuesday, the
majority leader, Honourable Aliyu Akuh, moved for the first reading of the bill
for a law to establish Kogi State College of Education, Ankpa and other
matters, which was read and later adopted.
The minority leader, Honourable
Sunday Shigaba, seconded the motion for adjournment till today, a motion which
was moved by the majority leader.
Honourable Akuh, speaking with
newsmen, said the assembly had earlier passed a resolution declaring the action
of its ad hoc committee as null and void and of no effect.
He said Kogi was not in the state of
emergency but undergoing leadership change, a development that is permissible
in a democracy.
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