Senate President, David Mark has shut down the National Assembly following attempt by security operatives to prevent speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal from entering the Assembly premises to preside over a reconvened House to deliberate on the request by President Goodluck Jonathan to extend the State of Emergency in the three north east states ravaged by Boko Haram. The security operatives’ action led to a pandemonium , during which teargas canisters were indiscriminately thrown at the lawmakers who ran in different direction to take cover.
Reports said that though Speaker Tambuwal eventually gained entrance into the complex, but that other lawmakers had to scale a fence to get into the complex.
Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba has been summoned to explain the action of the security operatives at the National Assembly.
Today’s resumption was to enable the House of Representatives to deliberate on Consideration of President Jonathan’s request for extension of the existing State of Emergency.
The spokesperson of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), Lai Mohammed confirmed to journalists at the APC secretariat in Abuja that security operatives prevented the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, from gaining entrance into the National Assembly Complex.
“I spoke with speaker Aminu Tambuwal five minutes ago and he confirmed to me that he has been locked out of the National Assembly complex at the second gate,” Mr. Mohammed said.
The APC spokesperson said that while Tambuwal is disallowed from entering the complex, his deputy, Emeka Ihedioha, is already in the chamber.
”The Speaker reconvene the House at the instance of the President who wrote a letter to the Speaker asking for an extension of the state of emergency in three states and now he is being ambushed and not allowed in, it is a sad development for our country
“There must be limit to impunity and we are being ridiculed in the eyes of the world.”
Speaker Aminu Tambuwal incurred the wrath of the ruling PDP after he announced his defection to the opposition All Progressives Congress on 28 October. He then adjourned the sitting of the House till 3 December. But on Tuesday, he announced an emergency reconvening of the House following President Jonathan’s request for an extension of the state of emergency in three north east states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. [myad]
