– says it wasn’t authorised by Presidency
– vows to discipline culprits
– summons DSS, Police bosses
– APC dissociates self from siege
Acting President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has condemned Tuesday’s invasion of the National Assembly complex as a gross violation of the constitutional order, rule of law and all accepted notions of law and order.
He said the invasion was not authorised by the Presidency.
Osinbajo’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, made the Acting President’s position known in a statement made available to journalists; where he promised that all persons within the law enforcement apparatus who participated in the siege would be identified and subjected to appropriate disciplinary action.
According to the statement: “Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has described the unauthorised takeover of the National Assembly complex earlier today (Tuesday) as a gross violation of constitutional order, rule of law and all acceptable notions of law and order.
“According to him, the unlawful act which was done without the knowledge of the Presidency is condemnable and completely unacceptable.
“By this statement, Professor Osinbajo is consequently assuring Nigerians that all persons within the law enforcement apparatus who participated in this travesty will be identified and subjected to appropriate disciplinary action.”
The acting President had earlier summoned the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris and the Director-General of the Department of State Security, Malam Lawan Daura to the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the two security chiefs, who arrived Aso Rock at different times, were to update the acting President on security developments including the blockade of the National Assembly by security officials.
The Inspector-General of Police was the first to arrive at about 12.35 p.m before the arrival of the DSS Director General at about 1.15p.m.
The Police and operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) had on Tuesday, blocked the main gate of the National Assembly, preventing lawmakers and staff from gaining access into the complex.
The security operatives, however, later allowed the lawmakers access into the complex while journalists and other staff were barred.
– APC dissociates self from National Assembly siege
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress, APC, has dissociated itself from the early morning siege at the National Assembly by masked officials of the Department of State Services based on “orders from above.”
As reported by The Punch, in a statement signed by its Acting National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, in Abuja, on Tuesday, the APC said what happened at the National Assembly was purely a “legislative matter.”
The statement read: “Our attention has been drawn to mischievous attempts in some partisan quarters to link Tuesday’s developments in the National Assembly to the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
“While the Party is monitoring the developments in the National Assembly like every other concerned Nigerian and stakeholder, there is absolutely no basis for all the false allegations and attempt to blame the APC National Chairman for the development there. It is strictly a legislative matter.”
