Senate Invasion: I am not involved, Omo-Agege reacts as FG orders probe
*Attack on NASS condemnable – APC
*As police recovers stolen mace
*Tell yourselves the truth – Nigerians tell Ekweremadu, Ben Bruce, others
*This set of Senate leadership has debased the Senate – Former PRODA chief, Kaine
“We are aware of several media reports suggesting that Senator Omo-Agege personally removed or encouraged anyone to remove the Mace of the Senate. This weighty allegation is not true at all. Following the said media reports on the Mace issue, the Police authorities decided to hear from Senator Omo-Agege. He has told the Police his perspective to help them carry out a proper investigation. He has since left the Police.”
Senator Ovie Omo-Agege representing Delta Central district has reacted to the invasion of the Senate Chambers by suspected hoodlums, denying involvement in the incident.
The Senate Chamber was thrown into confusion on earlier Wednesday when some persons invaded the Senate during plenary and made away the mace. Shortly after the mace was stolen, the Senate accused Omo-Agege of sending thugs to steal the mace.
Senator Omo-Agege, who reportedly said he had left police custody, in his reaction however, denied involvement in the theft of the mace.
A statement signed by a legal practitioner, Lucky Ajokperniovo, for the office of the Senator, said that he only went to the Red Chamber on Wednesday, April 18 to resume work and sit for plenary adding that he was only invited by the police to speak about his perspective on the incident.
“We are aware of several media reports suggesting that Senator Omo-Agege personally removed or encouraged anyone to remove the Mace of the Senate. This weighty allegation is not true at all.
“Following the said media reports on the Mace issue, the Police authorities decided to hear from Senator Omo-Agege. He has told the Police his perspective to help them carry out a proper investigation. He has since left the Police. Senator Omo-Agege trusts them to thoroughly investigate this very serious matter,” the statement read in part.
Omo-Agege also reacted to the statement by the Senate Spokesperson, Senator Abdullahi Sabi accusing him of leading the hoodlums to cart away the mace. Omo-Agege described the allegation as ‘very serious’.
“We are carefully studying Senator Sabi’s allegations to ascertain their full ramifications. Appropriate responses will follow, as may be necessary,” Omo-Agege’s statement read.
…APC condemns attack on the Senate
In its reaction, the All Progressives Congress (APC) described the invasion of the Senate as condemnable, even as it viewed the attack as assault on democracy and desecration of the hallowed institution of the National Assembly.
A statement signed by APC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said, “The attention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been drawn to the invasion of the Nigerian Senate by suspected thugs who disrupted Wednesday’s plenary and made away with the mace.
“The APC hereby condemns this action and views it as an attack on our democracy and a desecration of the hallowed institution of the National Assembly.
“We therefore call on security agencies to take all necessary actions to recover the stolen mace and ensure that the perpetrators and their sponsors are brought to justice,” he said.
FG orders probe of Senate invasion
On its own part, the Federal Government has expressed shock at the invasion of the
National Assembly and the subsequent snatching of the Senate mace by
thugs on Wednesday.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, the Minister of Information
and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the security agencies have been
directed to immediately unravel the circumstances surrounding the
breach of security that led to the invasion.
He said the security around the National Assembly complex would also
be reinforced to prevent a recurrence.
…Police Recover Stolen Senate Mace In Abuja
The Nigeria Police Force said it had recovered the Mace stolen from the chambers of the Senate by unidentified persons.
On Wednesday, suspected thugs invaded the senate chambers during plenary and carted away the mace.
A statement by the Deputy Force Spokesman, SP Aremu Adeniran, said that the mace was abandoned under the flyover before the city gate in Abuja where a passerby saw it and alerted the police.
He said that following the ugly incident, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris had ordered the FCT Police Command to beef-up security at the National Assembly.
He said that investigation into the incident was still ongoing to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The deputy spokesman commended Abuja residents, especially motorists, for their cooperation during the rigorous stop and search operation for the recovery of the mace.
Adeniran said that the commitment of the police to guarantee protection of lives and property and sustain democracy in the country remained unequivocal and unwavering.
Tell yourselves the truth – Ekweremadu, Ben Bruce, others told
In the meantime, Nigerians who took to the social media to react to invasion of the Senate have asked the likes of Senators Ike Ekweremadu, Ben Bruce and others who are only talking about the results of provocation they caused as members of the Bukola Saraki team leading to the invasion of Senate plenary to tell themselves the truth and stop disgracing Nigeria.
Their reactions came as a social activist, Prince Ade, posted his worries, titled, “The Injustice of Saraki’s Senate”, on his Facebook wall earlier on Thursday, in which he described the statement made on Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) by Senate Ben Bruce as “disgusting!”
He said, “Senator Abaribe called Buhari incompetent in defence of Senate President Bukola Saraki. Omo-Agege countered him in defence of Buhari. To now act: Saraki, in his Almighty Position, lols, descended on Omo-Agege but allowed Abaribe to move freely on the floor of the Senate. If this is what happened and we have heard all the hypocrisy about desecration of Legislature and all of the other cries, it means most Nigerians are not sincere with themselves,” Prince Ade said.
He asked questions, “Why are those talking now not asking Bukola Saraki why he punished Omo-Agege for expressing himself as elected Senator representing his people at the Senate? Is Saraki above the law? If the Senate has its rules, do the rules of the Senate supersede the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria? Why did Saraki take personal interest into the work of the nation that he does at the Senate by taking up fight against a Senator for supporting the President of Nigeria? Is he covered by the rules of the Senate to also do that or he is covered by the Constitution of Nigeria?
“And also, why are Nigerians not asking Saraki why any time he wants to cause trouble at the Senate plenary he vacates his seat for PDP’s Ike Ekweremadu, the man who had supposed IPOB which called Nigeria a Zoo and acted out secession and who had called for military takeover of the Federal Government only for him to succumb to pressure and said he was misconstrued? Is this hypes on the maze snatching Wednesday the best thing Nigerians can do to their country after all the evils they have seen happen from under the Saraki’s Group of Senators that have never submitted themselves to the Constitution but want to bend others to submit to their draconian Senate rules?
“And when Senator Ozumbor would talk he said the news of what happened yesterday had been spread all over the world. Yes. News have always been spread all over the world because news are meant to spread globally. Have news of similar drama not been spread from other part of the world to Nigeria?
“To me, although I don’t support thuggery but I stand against the Senate leadership’s dictatorial, autocratic behaviour and persecutions of perceived opposing views that provoked what happened yesterday. Saraki must be made to pay for the evil has done in suspending people who are opposed to his views on the Senate.
“If he must punish Omo-Agege for disagreeing that Buhari is not incompetent, then he must not complain when the execute begins to take action against his own Abaribe for calling Buhari incompetent. WE ARE WATCHING…!” He exclaimed.
Responding to the Senate drama as reacted to by Prince Ade, another social media activist, Rabiu Waliu Bolaji simply dismissed Bruce as accidental lawmaker that must not be taken serious. He said, “Prince Ade, why would you take that accidental lawmaker that calls himself an advocate of commonsense serious?”
Abdullahi Aliyu, in his own reaction, said, “Yes, according to Abdullahi Adamu, ”impunity for impunity.”
Baridam Ben said, “We are really watching my brother.”
Moha Jaji said, “Why are they not asking Saraki questions about him shutting down the Senate because of his corruption case….? Why are they not asking Saraki about the house rule that was forged in his favor? Why are they not asking Saraki about the house rule that was forged in his favor? For me anything that will bring down that monster controlling the Senate is legal.”
Abubakar Usman said, “Saraki is representing PDP not his constituency and Nigeria.”
Balogun Lateef Ayinde said, “Saraki’s antics in the senate shouldnt have been a surprise to any right thinking Nigerian. His antecedent at the society generale bank which he looted to ground zero up to his tenure as governor of kwara state and now as the president of the senate, are nothing but deceit. JAMBA.”
Engr Murphy said, “To me, Buhari support emergency of Saraki as a Senate President, if not, he should have stopped all violation of rule of law that is going on in Senate chamber.”
Former DG PRODA, Edmund Kaine, said, “The present set of Senate leadership and the happenings debased the Senate. The world may have forgotten the Roman Senate in which Julius Caesar was stabbed by Senators during a sitting.”
Femi Bello said, “Whenever saraki wanted to do his dirty jobs, he back off and used Ekweremadu to do the dirty jobs. Easterners are yet to show their commitment to Nigeria.”
Stephen Ezenwa, confirming Femi Bello’s allegation of Ekweremadu as working against Nigeria at Senate, said, “Who told you Easterners are Nigerians? We are Biafrans and want to be on our own. Whoever that says Buhari is competent must be a devil.”
