A’IBOM ASSEMBLY SEAL-OFF: PDP cries foul as Senate orders probe

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has kicked against the invasion and sealing off of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly by security operatives.

The party said the development is part of alleged plots by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Presidency to cause mayhem in Akwa Ibom and other PDP controlled states in order to ‘forcefully’ take over those states in the 2019 general elections.

The opposition party stated this at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, vowing to resist such attempt by employing all the necessary democratic means.

The PDP national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, who address the conference said, “Part of the plot is the forceful attempt to take over control of the Akwa-Ibom state legislature, for which the Presidency and the APC have been sponsoring the invasion of the House of Assembly complex and seeking ways to violently oust the duly elected leadership of the state assembly.

“The PDP wants the Buhari Presidency and the APC to bear in mind that their plot to forcefully take over Akwa-Ibom or any other PDP-controlled state will be firmly resisted by the people of those states and such may lead to a crisis of unprecedented magnitude that has the capacity of truncating our hard-earned democracy.

“This is because the people of Akwa-Ibom state will never allow anybody, no matter how highly placed, to overrun their state or in any way attempt to foist an undemocratic leadership over them and no amount of intimidation or force will make them change this resolve.

“The PDP therefore charges President Buhari and the APC to be ready to take full responsibility for any breakdown of law and order as direct consequences of the people’s resistance to their plot to forcefully take over control of Akwa-Ibom or any of the PDP-controlled states.”

Meanwhile, the Senate has ordered an investigation into the sealing by security operatives.

Decision by the lawmakers to investigate the matter was reached on Wednesday after the issue was raised on the floor of the Senate by Senator Bassey Akpan, representing Akwa Ibom North-East.

READ ALSO: Court insists Dokpesi must explain N2.1bn Dasuki money

Akpan had cited Order 42 and 52 and then informed the Senate that the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly was sealed by security operatives on Wednesday morning.

In his response, Senator Shehu Sani said, “Laying siege on the State Assembly is a serious offense.”

The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, also condemned the action of the security operatives and described it as brutality. Consequently, he ordered the Committee on Police to investigate the situation.

“As parliamentarians, we should not go partisan on this issue. If it’s true that security agents have invaded the House of Assembly, it is wrong and I must condemn such brutality; but if it’s so, we should not support it.

“There should be an investigation quickly to establish this and that committee should report back to us and tell us once it’s confirmed. Then we can take it from there,” Saraki said.

The Committee on Police is to report back to the House within 48 hours.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now