Lawmakers in show of shame

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CULLED FROM PUNCH

National Assembly members yesterday defied a cordon by the police and forced their way into the legislative complex as the crisis over the defection of House of Representatives Speaker, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, festered.

The House members, who had been on adjournment since October 28 when Tambuwal defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progress Congress (APC), were reconvening to consider a request by President Goodluck Jonathan for the extension of the state of emergency imposed on Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.
Tambuwal, who has been having a running battle with the presidency since his defection, leading to the withdrawal of his security aides, had issued a notice on Tuesday reconvening the House to discuss the president’s request.
However, while the police allowed some lawmakers, including the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha and the Chief Whip, Hon. Bawa Bwari, easy passage, they prevented the speaker and his entourage from entering the National Assembly.
Tambuwal’s who was in company with lawmakers, including APC caucus leaders such as the Minority Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; Deputy Minority Leader, Hon. Abdulrahman Suleiman Kawu; Hon. Solomon Adeola Olamilekan, Hon. Mohammed Zakari, Hon. Samuel Adejare Akinlade, among others, came through the main entrance to the National Assembly Tambuwal’s plea to the policemen, led by the Federal Capital Territory Commissioner of Police, Mr. Wilson Inalegwu, an acting Commissioner of Police, to be allowed in went unheeded.
He said: ”Gentlemen, my name is Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and I am the speaker of this House. I am here as our constitution demands to go in and preside over the sitting of the House.”
The security men kept mute and Tambuwal continued: “Can you identify me as the speaker of this House?” For about 15 minutes, the policemen did not oblige the speaker but they later partially opened the pedestrian gate making way for him to walk in. As soon as the speaker passed through the last gate, the police closed it against lawmakers and his aides who were with him. The lawmakers protested, shouting “kill us.
We are ready to die.” It was also observed that the security personnel who were on duty, carrying out the checks were totally new and appeared to have taken over security responsibilities from the resident security officers to the National Assembly.
Like Tambuwal, Senate President David Mark was also not allowed easy entry into the complex, as the heavily -security operatives locked the back entrance, which he often uses to enter the Assembly complex.
When Mark, who was seriously taken aback by the heavy presence of security, asked to know who invited them, one of the police officers told him that they were invited by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim. As the speaker was walking to the chambers, the police fired tear gas canisters at him and the people following him, including journalists.
The lawmakers who were with him had to scale the fence of the gate to join the speaker. The last batch of tear gas canisters was released as soon as the speaker was virtually smuggled in by his colleagues into the lobby of the National Assembly.
They flung open the doors that were closed by the security men and Tambuwal was taken into the chambers to take his seat. The entire was filled with smoke affecting senators who had come out to witness the drama that was playing out as well as journalists covering the parliament, staff and visitors.
The House, at the plenary presided over by Tambuwal, however, rejected the president’s request to extend the state of emergency in the three states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. The House, which has adjourned plenary till December 3, also declared that the National Assembly was under siege by the police but it must uphold the provisions of the constitution.
The lower chamber instead advised the president to invoke section 8 of the Armed Forces Act that has empowered him to deploy troops in troubled areas The House took the decision at a closed-door session after the motion sponsored by Deputy House Leader, Hon. Leo Ogor, for the consideration of the president’s request was rejected.
Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Zakari Mohammed, told reporters that the president’s powers to deploy troops are also covered by sections 217 (2) (c), 218, 13 and 14 (2) (b) of the 1999 constitution. He explained that the decision to reject the request for extension of the emergency was anchored on the fact that the previous three extensions they had approved did not address the security breaches in the three states.
He said that the emergency, which elapsed yesterday, would have been renewed within 48 hours if the House was in session or within 10 days if it was out of session, was not upheld for the fourth time as the previous approvals did not check the proliferation of violence in the states under consideration.
Reacting to the actions of the police, Mohammed condemned the action of the police, saying: “We are not criminals. We are lawmakers. We swore to protect the constitution. And no matter what we will do just that. We condemn the act in its entire entirety.”
Earlier, Mark who came to the House to register his solidarity with the members over the development was allegedly booed by the lawmakers, who accused him of being part of the conspiracy to disorganise the House. Returning to the Senate Chamber for the day’s plenary session, the senators quickly passed the votes and proceedings of the previous legislative day.
Then Mark, who was visibly downcast over the chaos that rocked the National Assembly, announced that he had decided to shut down the parliament till Tuesday next week, thereby forcing the Senate to step down all the issues listed for discussion on the Order Paper, including the earlier proposed briefing by the service chiefs and the consideration of Jonathan’s request for the extension of state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.
The Senate also invited the Inspector-General of Police (IG), Mr. Abba Suleiman, to come on Tuesday and explain the reason for the seeming invasion of the National Assembly by the security operatives. Meanwhile, House members have resolved to commence impeachment proceedings against Jonathan and Ihedioha.
One of the anchors of the project told newsmen in confidence that already, the lawmakers have collected over 120 signatures from their respective colleagues and are said to be determined in accomplishing their task. But Ogor denied the claim, saying the House does not have any basis to impeach the president.
However, in defence of the invasion of the National Assembly, the police accused Tambuwal of entering the legislature premises with a “motley crowd” of supporters, and accused them of assaulting police officers on duty. A statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Emmanuel Ojukwu, an acting Commissioner of Police, said the reported blockade, was consequent upon “an intelligent report” suggesting the likely invasion of the complex by political thugs.
It said the police action was, therefore, a preemptive move to forestall the breakdown of law and order. But the police, in a statement in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said just because he was so desperate to oust Tambuwal, Jonathan ensured that the House could not meet as scheduled.
It added: ”For a President who has severally stated his administration’s commitment to the battle against the insurgency in the North-East, is it not a cruel irony that he allowed his personal ego and political desperation to override his sense of propriety, by moving to have Hon. Tambuwal removed instead of having the House of Representatives sit to consider his request?”http://newtelegraphonline.com/lawmakers-in-show-of-shame/