APC Condemns National Assembly Invasion

Though some of its principal officers have been accused, rightly or wrongly, of having a hand in the Nigeria’sTueday’s show of democracy’s shame.
Though almost all of its federal lawmakers were nowhere to be found as others took on tyrannical forces that, for over six hours, shut down one of Nigeria’s symbol of democracy, the All Progressives Congress (APC), whose acting leader, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, shot down the arrow-head of Tuesday’s siege of the National Assembly, head of the secret police, Lawal Daura, by sacking him, has condemned “in strongest terms” Tuesday’s unfortunate invasion of the National Assembly by security forces.

“Our Party wholly dissociates itself from any act of brigandage and affront on the sacred symbols of our budding democracy,” its spokesman, Gemini Nabens, has said in a statement.
Our Party remains a law abiding political organisation and advises every constituent part to abide by the tenets of our constitution and our democracy.
The ruling party stated further: “Whilst our contention with the leadership of the National Assembly as currently constituted is a matter of public record, we still believe that the legislature as an independent arm of government must be allowed free reign for vibrant contestation of ideas and values amongst its members within the context of their constitutional mandate and for the benefit of the Nigerian people.
“We call for a more harmonious working relationship between the various Arms of Government in the general interest of the country.”
Earlier Tuesday, a former deputy spokesman of the APC, Mr. Timi Frank, pointed accusing fingers in the direction of the party’s prominent officials, disclosing they were hand in glove with security forces that shut down the National Assembly.
However, Osinbajo had decried the siege of the National Assembly complex, saying it was “a gross violation of constitutional order, rule of law and all­ acceptable notions of law and order,” adding that it was an “unlawful act wh­ich was done without the knowledge of th­e Presidency is condemnable and complete­ly unacceptable.’’

He brought the siege to an end by sacking the Director-General of the State Security Service, whose operatives, many in masks, barricaded the gates of the Assembly complex, initially preventing lawmakers from going in.