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Chukwudi Nweje, Ndubuisi Orji, Aidoghie Paulinus and Magnus Eze, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the invasion of the Senate Chamber and carting away of the mace by some hoodlums, yesterday.
The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, described the incident as “a direct assault on the Legislature and bold attempt to truncate Nigeria’s democracy.”
The PDP charged the National Assembly to deploy every legislative instrument to protect itself from external aggressions, as well as unravel everyone or institution that played any role “ in this wild attempt to scuttle our hard-earned democracy.
“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.
Meanwhile, as reactions trailed the invasion of the Senate yesterday, rights lawyer, Kayode Ajulo said what happened has signposted some ominous things to expect in days ahead.
He blamed security lapse in the National Assembly for the invasion and noted that it was curious that the incident occurred barely 24 hours after Senate called for the sack of heads of security agencies.
“This might be ominous sign of what to come.
“As at now, the Senate’s symbol of authority is gone; that’s the truth. All over the world, each Senate or House of Representatives has one mace. I’m afraid because, this portends danger for our democracy. Also, I believe that the security there should be probed,” Ajulo stated.
Meanwhile, former senator who represented Ekiti South, Gbenga Aluko, has also condemned the invasion.
He described it as “outrageous, utterly un-senatorial and irresponsible.”
Aluko, who was in the senate between 1999 and 2003 said invasion of the Senate chambers should be condemned in its entirety, as it is an assault on the sanctity of the legislature.
