Tuesday 7 August 2018

LIVE UPDATES: National Assembly crisis










We’re keeping vigil inside NASS lobby, lawmakers say
John Ameh
Senators and members of the House of Representatives who are against the lockdown of the National Assembly by DSS operatives, have appealed to Nigerians to join them in saving democracy.
The lawmakers, numbering 60 senators and 120 Reps, stated that the lockdown confirmed the fears they had earlier expressed that there was a plot to force a change of the leadership of the Senate and the House of Representatives.


Speaking on behalf of the lawmakers, a Peoples Democratic Party member from Kogi State, Mr. Tajudeen Yusuf, said the 60 senators and 120 Reps were keeping vigil inside the lobby of the National Assembly building.
He said, “We are inside the lobby of the White House; 60 senators and 120 members.
“We are there because we must protect democracy. An assault on the legislature is an assault on democracy.
“We call on Nigerians to rise and oppose this assault on the National Assembly. Democracy is about expressing diverse views.
“At the end, majority will carry the day, while the minority would have had their say.”

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National Assembly employees sing ‘APC, they have failed’

John Ameh
Employees of the National Assembly protesting the blockade of the complex by operatives of the Department of State Services have booed a member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Johnson Agbonayinma.
He is a member of the All Progressives Congress.
On sighting the lawmaker, they broke into a song, “APC, they have failed”, “APC, they have failed!”
Agbonayinma, who attempted to grant an interview to journalists, was interrupted as he struggled to speak.
He began by asking why Peoples Democratic Party members were at the National Assembly in the morning.

But, the protesting employees became enraged, accusing him of being part of the plot to cause a crisis at the National Assembly.
As Agbonayinma abandoned the interview and hurried away into the premises, the protesters followed him, shouting, “shame”, “shame”, “shame.”

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We are waiting for Akpabio and his gang —Murray-Bruce, Misau

John Alechenu, Abuja
Senator Ben Murray-Bruce has said he and his colleagues in the Peoples Democratic Party are at the National Assembly waiting for Senator Godswill Akpabio to invade the complex.
He said this in an interview with journalists at the main entrance of the assembly complex on Tuesday.
According to him, senators are currently waiting at the foyer because the staff of the National Assembly were not allowed by the security operatives to access the building to turn on the air conditioning.
He said, “We are here, we are waiting for (Godswill) Akpabio and his gang to come and invade. Only the democrats are here.
“We have informed the British and American Embassies, they are waiting for the list (of the invaders) to revoke their visas.”

Speaking in a similar vein, Senator Isa Misau said, “We heard just like you that some people are coming here to impeach the leadership, we came to see how such a thing can happen at a time we are on recess. There are procedures of doing things in a democracy. ”

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National Assembly blockade: Clerk turns back in protest

John Ameh 
The Clerk to the National Assembly, Mr Mohammed Sani-Omolori, has refused to enter the National Assembly complex in protest against the operatives of the Department of State Services who denied members of staff  access.
Sani-Omolori, had approached the security operatives to make enquiries on why they blocked members of staff from entering their offices.
When he got no answers, he simply turned and walked back to his car.
He said, “Why are they preventing staff from entering? They should allow them to go in and do their work.
“Why are they stopping people?”
Sani-Omolori added that if his members of staff were locked out, there was no need for him to go into the premises.

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Female Rep dares DSS to shoot her

John Ameh
A member of the House of Representatives, Boma Goodhead, has dared the operatives of the Department of State Services to shoot her as she arrived at the National Assembly.
Goodhead, who is from Rivers State, approached the operatives and shouted at them.

She shouted, “I dare you to shoot, shoot me. How can you come here and be embarrassing us?
“Was this what Jonathan did to Buhari? You are all a disgrace.”
Following her protest, she was allowed to enter the premises.
See video:

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PHOTOS: Senators, Reps gain access into National Assembly

Some members of the National Assembly have gained entry into the legislative complex, even as security agents blocked access to the complex.
Senator Ben Murray Bruce made the revelation on his Twitter handle, @benmurraybruce, alongside some photos of legislators, who have managed to find their way into the complex.
He said, “Outside the National Assembly chambers with other defenders of democracy; Senators and House of Reps members. A few of us finally got our way in, but the media have been blocked from entry. However, we have our phones & will make sure injustice doesn’t prevail.
“We will forever defend this hard fought democracy. Illegality will never stand! We are now in the complex but are yet to get access to the chambers as staff of the National Assembly in charge of this have been blocked from entering.
See photos:

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