“I never thought I would see the day when I would be forced to go over the assembly gates where I work to gain access into the chambers. But then our democracy has to be saved.”

These were the words of the Minority Leader of Nigeria’s House of Representatives and the Caucus leader of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.

In a statement by his research and media assistant, Wasiu Olanrewaju-Smart, Gbajabiamila said: “What happened in the National Assembly will forever live in infamy, expressing sadness over events that led him and other members into scaling the National Assembly gate to gain entrance into their duty post.

The lawmaker expressed surprise that the Presidency through its agents could undermine a court injunction restraining them from acting against the Speaker, “it was pretty clear the presidency in spite of a court injunction wanted to do something sinister and illegal.

“They perfected the plot to stop the Speaker and the opposition leader from gaining entry. My members were already in chambers waiting for me to come in so as to provide leadership and direction. Most of them had gone over the fate too. I had to do the needful to save our democracy. We thank God we foiled their evil machinations. We will continue to be vigilant.”

The police and other security agencies on Thursday, blocked Speaker of House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, and many other APC lawmakers from entering the National Assembly complex while their counterparts in the PDP had easy access to the legislative building.

The House was reconvened by the Speaker to deliberate on a letter from President Goodluck Jonathan requesting for approval of the House to extend state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa. [myad]

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is preparing fully for the 2015 general elections in the country with the setting up of 15 Standing Committees to ensure the success of the elections.

This is contained in the commission’s bulletin issued in Abuja on Friday.

The committees include: Appointments, Promotion and Discipline, Board of Survey and Technical Equipment Acquisition, Board of Electoral Institute and Election Observation and Party Monitoring.

There are also Estate, Works and Transport, Finance and General Purpose, Health and Welfare, Information Technology and Voter Registration, and Information and Voter Registration committees.

Others are Legal Services, Clearance and Complaints, Electoral Operations and Logistics, Outreach and Partnerships, Planning, Monitoring and Strategy, Security, and Tenders Board.

The bulletin quoted a memo signed by the Secretary to the commission, Mrs Augusta Ogakwu, dated, Nov.13, as saying that the committees came into effect on Nov.17.

It added that the commission had in 2010 set up 14 standing committees for similar purpose. [myad]

The Nigerian Presidency has asked the Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba, to explain what led to the security siege at the National Assembly yesterday, during which the speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal was prevented from gaining access to the Assembly’s premises.

Policemen and women had blocked the entrance of the National Assembly complex to prevent lawmakers from accessing their offices and chambers. Most of the lawmakers, who scaled the fence, were tear-gassed by policemen acting on order from above.

The Inspector General who arrived at the office of the Vice President, Mohammed Namadi Sambo at the State House, Abuja to answer the query later emerged looking sullen.

When he was confronted by newsmen who wanted to know what actually led to the police people’s action at the National Assembly, the police boss kept repeating the same thing: ““Who did what and who didn’t do what will be disclosed to you later. You know we work with investigations, investigations are going on and the press officer will address you.”

Another question thrown at Suleiman Abba was: are you saying you are not aware of this operation?

IGP: “I still repeat who did what, who didn’t do what you will hear later, it is subject to investigations. We just don’t talk anyhow.”

Is it true that some of your police officers were injured?

IGP: “Everybody has seen that somebody was even beating somebody, somebody was pushing a policeman from the car. Somebody was removing road blocks mounted by police. We have never seen this kind of thing in the whole world. So we will talk to you later.”

What action are you going to take?

IGP: “Just wait, our findings will reveal.” [myad]

Deputy Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha has described the action of the security operatives which threw the National Assembly into mayhem today as part of democracy.

The police and officers of the Directorate of State Security (DSS) had tried to prevent speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal from entering the National Assembly premises to preside over the House of Representatives plenary, which he reconvened to deliberate on the extension of the state of emergency by President Goodluck Jonathan in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

In the confusion that ensued, the security operatives threw canisters of teargas indiscriminately at the lawmakers who ran in panic to take covers, even as some lawmakers jumped the perimeter fence to gain entry into the premises while others tried to pull down the main gate into the premises.

Chief Ihedioha, who was apparently invited by the Presidency after the incidence, would not speak to newsmen who accosted him when he emerged from the office of Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo.

When he was pressed to say something, Ihedioha simply said: “it is democracy.”

The deputy speaker, who is still in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was said to have been allowed easy access into the National Assembly complex whereas the speaker, Tambuwal, who recently defected from PDP to opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) was molested, sparking off the crisis. [myad]