Some federal lawmakers under the
auspices of the parliamentary support group have asked their colleagues who
have issues with the police to sort them out without involving the national
assembly.
The lawmakers — who “support and
believe in the ideals of President Muhammadu Buhari” — said this in reaction to
the threat the national assembly issued to the president following alleged
persecution of its principal officers by the police.
Some legislators who currently
have cases with the police are Senate President Bukola Saraki and Dino Melaye,
senator representing Kogi west senatorial district.
A joint executive session of both
chambers of the assembly on Tuesday, had passed a 12-point condition for the
president to address urgently or face the invocation of the powers of the
legislature.
In a statement issued on behalf
of the group by Abdulmumin Jibrin, a member of the house of representatives,
the lawmakers said the views expressed at the end of the session were not
endorsed by all the lawmakers.
“Almost all the members and
senators that spoke at the executive session are of the PDP while members of
the APC declined joining the discussion to avoid a rowdy confrontation as the
entire session could easily pass for a PDP executive session,” the group said.
While commending Buhari’s efforts
on the fight against corruption, the lawmakers asked their colleagues “who have
corruption or criminal allegation against him or her should clear his or her
name without dragging the entire institution of the national assembly into the
matter.”
They also said the two
legislative chambers should “look in ward and address the issue of suffocating
senators and members with dissenting or contrary opinion through coercion or
extra legal means.”
Below is the full statement from
the group:
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PARLIAMENTARY
SUPPORT GROUP
NASS JOINT EXECUTIVE SESSION: OUR
POSITION
The Parliamentary Support Group
of the Senate and House of Representatives is aware of the joint Executive
session of the National Assembly held today and wish to state as follows:
That almost all the members and
senators that spoke at the Executive session are of the PDP while members of
the APC declined joining the discussion to avoid a rowdy confrontation as the
entire session could easily pass for a PDP Executive session
That it is commendable that the
Speaker tactically refused to make any comment at the session even after the
Senate President took time to explain the issues which are mostly personal
That it is disturbing and raised
many questions of pre-determined intentions that a known ally of the Senate
President from Kwara State Hon Rasak Atunwa drafted what was adopted as the
resolution and without voting against standard parliamentary practice
That most of the issues raised
concerning the fight against corruption, insecurity and the rule of law has
been severally discussed in the Senate and the House and various resolutions
passed
That we commend the efforts of Mr
President in the fight against corruption, tackling of the insecurity
challenges and respect for rule of law and democratic institutions. Mr
President is known for his non interference policy.
That every Senator or Member of
House who has corruption or criminal allegation against him or her should clear
his or her name without dragging the entire institution of the National
Assembly into the matter
That the National Assembly should
as well look in ward and address the issue of suffocating Senators and members
with dissenting or contrary opinion through coercion or extra legal means
That the PDP should recall how it
members in the 7th Assembly sat comfortably in the chamber and watched a
sitting Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal locked out of the National Assembly and all his
security personnel withdrawn while APC members had to scale the fence to gain
entrance into the National Assembly
That we must exercise caution at
this delicate period not to over heat the polity with statements that are
capable of dividing the country, embarrassing us before the watching world and
creating friction between the legislature, Executive and specifically Mr
President.
We wish to reaffirm our support
to Mr President as he works assiduously towards dealing with the challenges of
our country.
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