SIEGE AT NATIONAL ASSEMBLY BY SECURITY OPERATIVES WAS ACT OF COWARDICE BY ‘COUP PLOTTERS’ TO CHANGE LEADERSHIP, SAYS SARAKI

‘I applaud all who kicked against the atrocity and who stood firm until sanity prevailed. I am proud of how everyone conducted themselves in what was no doubt a tense standoff. The principled stance and defiant reactions to the ugly incident, proved crucial to the failure of the plot. This is what we have been saying about the power of the people. The role of the people in defending democracy is paramount’, Saraki added.

He equally commended the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, for his handling of the situation, stating that the decisive action went a long way towards restoring confidence and also sent a powerful message – that the DSS cannot be recklessly deployed against institutions of our democracy.

‘The path of leadership is not by party, and we must commend it wherever it is found. Mr. Acting President did the right thing. However, the damage control so far does not address the question of how this atrocity happened in the first place. This is an incident concerning which we have it on good authority that it has been in the planning for months, and yet it was allowed to happen’.

‘How is it that such an atrocity was not prevented? How is it that the masterminds were not deterred? Very serious questions remain that can only be answered by a full investigation. We call for an investigation, and we demand that all perpetrators are brought to book. We owe it to ourselves to ensure that such a situation never occurs again. Many agencies have abused their powers and acted outside the ambit of the law on occasion. Where abuses occur, similar actions must be taken immediately and full investigation instituted’. he noted.

‘I must say that when we fought for Change, we could not have envisaged a scenario such as unfolded yesterday – an atmosphere where people cannot tolerate dissent, or mere differences of opinion as to the future of our dear country. This is not the Change we fought for. We did not fight for instruments of state to be used to oppress Nigerians and their lawmakers. I know that I, certainly, did not fight just so the legislature could be undermined and subjected to this onslaught’.

He said, there are many lessons to be drawn from the ugly incident we all witnessed on Tuesday, and opined that government must ensure that security agencies remain neutral and act in line with the position of the constitution as well as their enabling laws.

‘Heads of Agencies should be accountable, and those who step out of line must be held responsible for their actions. Enough with impunity. Enough with the reckless and senseless deployment of militaristic force. Enough’.

‘In this dark cloud, we can see the silver lining, and that silver lining is the commitment of Nigerians to defending their hard-won democracy. I am more than encouraged by the strength, the determination and the resolve of ordinary Nigerians to see to it that democracy survives and thrives in this country. I am also strengthened by the determination of the media to report and analyse the truth as they see it’.

‘I want to reassure Nigerians that, on our part, we remain committed to working for a country governed by the rule of law. Our desire is to have a society where there will be equity and justice, not oppression. We stand committed to doing our utmost as lawmakers to ensure that the responsibility and functionality of governance are met’.

‘Although we are on annual break, we are daily reviewing the situation and are alive to the responsibility to take action as necessary. Unfortunately, yesterday’s shutdown prevented us from meeting with INEC, as scheduled, to address funding concerns. We will continue to look into the matter. In the spirit of that, we also appeal to Mr. President to sign the 2018 Electoral Act Amendment Bill which has been sent for his assent’.

The Senate President declared that, he remained confident in the support of his colleagues and their focus on the job at hand, which is to serve the Nigerian people, emphasizing that his confidence is unshaken, and also remain committed to the success of the historic 8th National Assembly, and to the continued progress of the country.