Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and People’s Democratic Party’s presidential aspirant, has condemned the siege by operatives of the Department of State Security Service (SSS) on the National Assembly.
Also condemning the act is the Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, himself a one time principal officer of the NASS.
The DSS officials blocked the entrance of the assembly on Tuesday morning, barring workers from going in until later whn the Director General, Lawal Daura was sacked.
Journalists and other staff of the assembly were also barred from the NASS.
The security siege is believed to be aimed at removing Bukola Saraki as senate president.
A statement 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.”
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’.
Meanwhile, Tambuwal, in condemning the siege applauded the sack of Daura. He described what occurred as “the flagrant affront to democracy and the elected representatives of the Nigerian people.”
He said the action was an “unacceptable contempt for the sanctity of the legislature, the very bastion of democracy.”
Tambuwal said he was confounded that anyone could even contemplate, not to talk of carrying out such an act.
He commended the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo
for his intervention, while calling on the international community to rise in condemnation of the action, which he described as “a very dangerous threat to the survival of democracy in Africa’s most populous nation.”
According to the governor, “It is wrong and unconscionable for security operatives of any 21st Century nation to act in ways suggesting democracy and the will of the people could be held to ransom.”
He labelled incident “an attempted coup against the Legislature,” which he said required full and unremitting investigation.
He called on Nigerians to always remember that it was their sacred right to ensure that only their duly elected representatives determine their fortunes, saying that no one should bring down the hard earned democratic freedom Nigerians fought hard to achieve.
“Every Nigerian must rise and stand up to defend democracy now or suffer the consequences of a Police state”, the governor said.
He also commended the legislators who refused to be intimidated, describing them as heroes of democracy.