Former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the siege by operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) on the National Assembly.
The SSS officials blocked the entrance of the assembly on Tuesday morning, initially barring anyone from going in. They later allowed lawmakers into the assembly.
Journalists and other staff of the assembly were barred from entering.
The security siege is believed to be related to the move to remove Bukola Saraki as senate president.
A statement by his office said:
The attention of former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has been drawn to an illegal and undemocratic attempt by fascist forces to break into the National Assembly for the purpose of furthering the agenda to force a change in the Nigerian Senate’s leadership.
Atiku Abubakar completely condemns this atrocity and calls on all those involved to put Nigeria first and abandon this madness.
The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, guarantees both the independence of the Legislature and separation of powers. Nigeria is a democracy not a military dictatorship and we the people will never return to tyranny.
Atiku Abubakar calls on President Muhammadu Buhari and acting President Yemi Osinbajo to stop hiding behind one finger and live up to their responsibility of upholding the constitution and law and order, which they swore to on May 29, 2015.
“We warned that if what occurred in Benue last week was not checked on time, it would escalate to the federal level. Today we are seeing that warning in play.”
The acting President, being himself a Professor of Law, ought to know that setting such a precedent is an invitation to anarchy.
There are better uses for our security forces at this time than to lay siege to our citadels of democracy. Our people are languishing in the midst of unprecedented insecurity and nationwide killings. To thus deploy our security forces in this present manner whilst Nigerians face these challenges is an abdication of responsibility to say the least.
All Nigerians should be watchful and mobilised to defend democracy. We must remember that ‘eternal vigilance is the price of liberty’.
In the same vein, the National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, has condemned the siege.
He also asked the United Kingdom to expel President Muhammadu Buhari from the country, alleging that the Nigerian leader planned the siege from there.
Buhari is currently in London on vacation.
The UK had earlier said it was monitoring the situation in Nigeria and advised on respecting the rule of law and democratic principles.
The PDP chairman accused the president of hiding in that country to plan the undermining of democracy in Nigeria.
Security officials, mainly from the SSS, on Tuesday prevented lawmakers, staff and journalists from gaining entrance to the National Assembly.
The siege was only lifted in the afternoon, several hours after it began. During the barricade, lawmakers were eventually allowed in while other categories of people were barred.
The incident, believed to have been planned to remove Senate President Bukola Saraki, led to the sack of Director General of the SSS, Lawal Daura, by Acting President Yemi Osibanjo.
Secondus in his statement said the UK should not allow its environment be turned into a haven for anti-democracy conspirators.
In the statement signed by his media aide, Ike Abonyi, Secondus said the final plan for the invasion of National Assembly was made when the outgoing Senate minority leader, Godswill Akpabio, visited the president in London at the weekend.
Secondus, however, commended Acting President Yemi Osinbajo for sacking Daura.
“When an executive arm in a democratic setting muscles up other arms of government, the correct name for such administration is autocracy and dictatorship,” Secondus said.
“Nigerians and international community have continuously watched this administration, harass and intimidate the legislature and judiciary as well as others in opposition in their bid to create a dictatorial regime.
“All over the World, the parliament is the bastion of democracy and rule of law anybody not willing to align himself to them is trying to create anarchy in the land,” he said.
The opposition leader than called on President Buhari to resign.
“We are aware that when a regime exhausts idea of what to do and loses the legitimacy that brought it to power, it could be dangerous like a bull in China shop. But truth is that Nigeria will survive this regime and laugh last.”