Mark shuts National Assembly over violence

Speaker jump fence

 

There was pandemonium in the National Assembly on Thursday when armed security personnel invaded the federal parliament and locked out the senators and House of Representatives members.

The convoy of the Senate President, David Mark, who attempted to pass through the gate that links the National Assembly from the State House, was delayed for about 30 minutes.

An obviously enraged Mark, after gaining entry, openly confronted the Chief Security Officer of the National Assembly to find out who invited the police since he, as the Chairman,  reserved the right to make such request.

The senate president met with his principal officers, shortly after he was allowed to enter, he also held a brief discussion with the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha, who visited him over the development.

Mark left with Ihedioha to the lower chamber when they were informed that the Speaker,  Aminu Tambuwal,  was already there.

Some angry House of Representatives members, visibly angry over the treatment meted out on Tambuwal by security operatives, shouted at Mark and Ihedioha, and blamed them for the woes that befell the embattled speaker.

Mark went back to his office and left moments after to the chamber where his colleagues were already protesting their maltreatment by the security operatives.

Most of them said they were forced to treck a distance of 200 metres from the main gate to the their offices because they were not allowed to enter the premises with their vehicles.

Mark, at the resumption of plenary, ordered the shut down of both chambers of the National Assembly over the unfortunate development.

He said,   Because of the very unfortunate incident in the National Assembly this morning,  I have decided to shut down the National Assembly, both the Senate and House of Representatives, until Tuesday next week.

We will also invite the Inspector-General of Police (to appear before us) here on Tuesday,  there will be no business in the National Assembly today.  It remains shut  till Tuesday ( next week).

He condemned the application of maximum force on parliamentarians and civil servants who were in their respective offices to do their duties.

Mark also hinted that the senate had asked the service chiefs billed to appear before it on Thursday, to make it on Tuesday next week as further deliberations on the emergency rule had been suspended to the next legislative date.

Senators Ali Ndume,  Olusola Adeyeye and Ehigie Uzamere in an interview with journalists condemned the development describing it as a clampdown on the parliament.