Politics
Your protest is against the law, lawmakers tell N’Assembly staff
The National Assembly leadership has told protesting staff that their mode of protest, which saw them picket the assembly, is against the law.
Abdulrazak Namdas, spokesman of the House of Representatives, made this position known Thursday.
He said it is against the law for anyone or group of people to stop lawmakers from gaining access into the National Assembly.
Namdas said this on Thursday while briefing reporters on steps to tackle the industrial dispute with parliamentary workers.
“It is an offence to picket the national assembly. Nobody is against the interests of the protesting workers but I can tell you that it is against the law for anyone or group to prevent lawmakers from gaining access into any of the chambers,” he said.
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Asked if the lawmakers would take up the issue, he said, “No, we will tamper justice with mercy. But it is important to know the provisions of the law in order to guard against future occurrences.”
He said the protest was not against the lawmakers but the management of the assembly, adding that both chambers of the house are doing everything possible to ensure that peace reigns.
The Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) had on Tuesday, protested the non-payment of their outstanding salaries and allowances.
The workers took over the lobby from which the lower and upper legislative chambers could be accessed, thereby disrupting plenary and other legislative activities.
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