By Daniel Kanu
The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday condemned the invasion of the National Assembly by operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS).
The National Assembly was in the early hours of Tuesday cordoned off by officers of the State Security Services in a move by some senators to remove the Senate President, Bukola Saraki.
The officers who said their actions were ‘order from above’ initially denied lawmakers entrance into the National Assembly.
The lawmakers were later allowed to enter the chamber.
For days, speculations have been on, on the appropriateness of Mr Saraki as Senate President, having defected from the ruling APC to the PDP.
Some APC senators are of the opinion that Saraki should resign his position on the argument that the Senate should be presided over by a lawmaker from majority party. The APC is still believed to have a slight majority in the Senate.
However, PDP senators and others loyal to Saraki vowed to resist any attempt to remove him.
The statement by the ruling party’s Acting National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Yekini Nabena, which was sent to TheNiche said:
The All Progressives Congress (APC) condemns in strongest terms, today’s unfortunate invasion of the National Assembly by security forces. Our Party wholly dissociates itself from any act of brigandage and affront on the sacred symbols of our budding democracy.
Our Party remains a law abiding political organisation and advises every constituent part to abide by the tenets of our constitution and our democracy.
Whilst our contention with the leadership of the National Assembly as currently constituted is a matter of public record, we still believe that the legislature as an independent arm of government must be allowed free reign for vibrant contestation of ideas and values amongst its members within the context of their constitutional mandate and for the benefit of the Nigerian people.
We call for a more harmonious working relationship between the various Arms of Government in the general interest of the country.
