When National Assembly Boiled
The National Assembly metaphorically boiled last week when security forces practically took over the legislature. Omololu Ogunmade narrates the episode
Genesis
Show of Shame
When the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, announced his decision to reconvene the House last Tuesday to consider President Goodluck Jonathan’s request for extension of emergency rule, it was not immediately imagined the depth of chaos that would accompany the move.
However, the nation is yet to recover from the degree of pandemonium which broke out in the National Assembly on Thursday following attempts by security forces to stop Tambuwal from gaining entry into the federal parliament. Many Nigerians who were shocked by the commotion cried wolf, describing the development as disturbing.
With the men of the Nigeria Police laying siege to the federal legislature that day, brazenly locking out Tambuwal and a number of other lawmakers for several hours, tear gassing them in the process, Nigeria’s 15 years of unbroken democracy appeared to be under fresh trial.
Beginning from Wednesday night, security forces had begun to move their security apparatus to the premises of the National Assembly. But the intention was not immediately known until Thursday morning when the National Assembly gates were shut by the police ostensibly to stop Tambuwal, who had defected from Peoples Democratic Party to the opposition All Progressives Congress on October 28, from gaining access. The closure of the National Assembly gates resulted in long and static traffic, which held down members and staff of the National Assembly for hours, forcing many of them to abandon their cars along the road and trekking towards the main entrance gate.
Tambuwal who had thought that gaining access to the National Assembly would be business as usual, got the greatest shock of his life when his vehicle was denied access. Finding it incredible, he alighted from the car and identified himself to the police officers manning the gate as the Speaker of the House of Representatives. “And so what?” That question appeared to be the unspoken reaction of one of the police officers at the gate as that identification did not guarantee the speaker’s automatic entry into the premises. Hence, Tambuwal’s men had opted to resort to self-help as they violently shook the gate, with the intention of pulling it down.
The policeman who had to report the situation to a superior officer on phone, told Tambuwal as he stood: “wait, wait, wait for me.” After the telephone conversation, he allowed Tambuwal to trek into the premises through a side gate while efforts to persuade the policemen to open the gate for other APC lawmakers fell through.
However, what most Nigerians have described as a show of shame soon played out at the gate as members of the House who accompanied Tambuwal took caution to the wind, choosing rather to scale the fence than waiting for the policemen to appeal to reason. One after the other, they began to climb the gate like school pupils and jumping into the premises. They were hailed by their co-travellers prompting others to join the fray.
This action, variously described as uncivil, uncultured, uncivilised, crude and undignifying of public officers addressed as “honourables,” shocked many to the marrows.
Among those who condemned this action was a Professor of Law, Professor Yemi Akinseye-George, who said addressing a wrong action with a worse move was “uncivil.” He was echoed by another lawyer, Ahmed Raji, who said resorting to self-help in the bid to correct an already wrong action was unhelpful. “Even if they shut the gate, scaling the fence was not a solution. One self-help can’t cure another self-help,” he remarked.
Another lawyer, Osagie, did not mince words to describe the move as shameful as he likened the action of the lawmakers to that of armed robbers, saying if any of them had fallen dead, he would have lost his life for nothing. “I’m ashamed. The last time I checked, they were lawmakers and not armed robbers scaling the fence,” he said. The lawyers spoke while appearing on the television.
Nevertheless, their action further buttressed a long held notion that members of the House of Representatives lack a sense of maturity when compared with their counterparts in the Senate.
More shocking to others was the discovery that some of those who scaled the fence were rated above such action that some people had equally described as a “kindergarten act.” Notable among them was the Minority Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, a noted voice in the House since 2003. Others who undertook the smart move were the Deputy Minority Leader, Abdulrahman Kawu; the Chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts, Solomon Olamilekan; the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Victor Ogene; An Ekiti State lawmaker, Bimbo Daramola and Babatunde Adejare who represents Agege federal constituency in Lagos.
The Siege Continued
Beliefs that the animosity against the lawmakers would end with their forced entry into the premises turned out to be false as their assailants ran ahead of them, tear gassing them as they trekked along with Tambuwal for over 200 metres from the gate to the main Senate building. Entry into the main building was another hurdle yet to be crossed but it was much easier for them to force their way through, almost pulling down the door.
Yet, their ordeals did not end as the security agents tear gassed them as they went, forcing them to cover their noses with their dresses to avoid inhaling it. The tear gas canisters fired into the building left many sneezing profusely while other were left gasping for breath. But despite the difficulty, they found their way into the chamber.
Mark Attacked
Senate President David Mark, who also had a fair share of the ordeals having been shut out of the gate for not less than 30 minutes, opted to visit the House of Representatives’ chamber to confer with Tambuwal and as well calm frayed nerves. But it was his own turn to be harassed and abused this time by some members of the House. Notable among them was Abdumalik Cheche, a PDP member from Niger State. Cheche threw caution to the wind and reportedly held Mark by his shoulders, shaking him violently and almost removed his red cap.
He had accused Mark of conniving with the executive to conspire against the Speaker and the House. “You know we served in the Army together; you know we served in the Army together,” Cheche kept shouting as he held Mark hostage. Some other members of the House such as ABG Shehu further shouted at Mark, fuming with rhetorical questions, “What is the Senate President doing here? Get out of here. Go back to your chambers. Where were you when they threw tear gas at us?” Another member, Aliyu Gelbi, would have struck the Senate President, but for some of his colleagues who quickly held him back.
However, Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, in a swift reaction to Cheche’s action against Mark, described it as irresponsible and promised to mete to him appropriate disciplinary measures for choosing to humiliate a statesman whom he also described as a former military governor of Cheche’s state. According to him, disciplining him would serve as caution to others who lacked a sense of decorum. Aliyu, hence, tendered unreserved apology to Mark for the action.
In the same vein, Deputy House Leader, Leo Ogor, apologised for his colleagues’ misconduct. “I apologise to the Nigerian people and especially, the Senate President, who came to ensure that there, was peace in the House”, Ogor said.
Also, Mark’s Chief Press Secretary, Paul Mumeh, in a statement later added that the Senate president was equally teargassed by the police when he visited the House. “An embarrassed Senator Mark, who had rushed to the House of Representatives’ chamber, ostensibly to address the situation, on hearing the development, was thoroughly tear gassed along with his colleagues while returning to his office after conferring with the Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal and his deputy Emeka Ihedioha,” the statement said.
Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha, who had a smooth entry into the National Assembly after being briefly delayed at the main entrance gate, was also not spared as one of his colleagues, Abubakar Kawu, also attempted to attack him but he was held back by other colleagues.
National Assembly Shut
After returning from the House of Repre- sentatives, Mark, who had held a meeting with the Senate leadership on the matter, assumed responsibility as the chairman of the National Assembly. He ordered the federal parliament to be shut till next Tuesday following the heavy deployment of security forces which invaded the National Assembly.
Mark, upon entering into the Senate chamber, called for approval of votes and proceedings of the previous plenary session and forthwith, announced the closure of both houses of the National Assembly until Tuesday, describing the day’s event as “unfortunate.”
He also ordered the invitation of the Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba, to the Senate on Tuesday to tell the lawmakers what informed the invasion of the National Assembly by security forces.
“Because of the very unfortunate incident that happened this morning, I have decided to shut down the National Assembly today - both the Senate and House of Representatives until Tuesday next week. We will also invite the IG here on Tuesday. There will be no business in National Assembly today. It remains shut till Tuesday,” Mark said.
However, Mark’s order was only effective in the Senate, as the House of Representatives went into an executive session to consider the president’s request for extension of emergency rule in Yobe, Adamawa and Borno states.
Expectedly, the request was rejected by members. Instead, they asked the president to explore constitutional provisions which empower him to deploy troops to troubled spots in the country.
Throwing more light on the decision later, chairman of the House Committee on Information, Zakari Mohammed, said extending the emergency rule was unnecessary because members believed it has been ineffective.
He said, “We didn’t approve the President’s request because the emergency rule is not working. If we had approved this one today (Thursday), it would have been the fourth, yet it is not yielding results. If you are using a particular strategy that is not working, you have to change it.
“Our resolution is no more extension; he should deploy the Armed forces for operational purposes as he is empowered by relevant laws to do so.”
He also condemned the deployment of security forces to stop them from entering the National Assembly, saying it was contradictory that they were asked to consider emergency rule extension only to be shut out of the premises.
“This action by the police is condemnable.