The lawmaker is not happy with his controversial suspension from the Senate.
Chaos has broken out at the National Assembly complex after lawmaker from Delta state, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, invaded plenary session on Wednesday, April 18, 2018, with thugs.
The lawmaker, who was recently suspended, sneaked in through one of the glass barricades within the National Assembly complex and seized the mace. The hoodlums that accompanied the Senator escaped from the chamber with the mace and fled in a black SUV. The mace is the symbol of authority in the Senate and no plenary sessions can legitimately take place in its absence from the chamber.
Senate President Bukola Saraki was not present when the incident happened as he is away in the United States of America to attend this year’s Spring Meeting of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Deputy Senate President, Ike Ikweremadu, presided over the day’s session at 10:53am, shortly before the invasion started at 11:15am.
Act of treason – Senate reacts
In reaction to the incident on Wednesday, Senate Spokesperson, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said the lawmaker’s action is “an act of treason”.
The statement read, “Today, some hoodlums led by suspended Senator, Ovie Omo-Agege, walked into the Senate plenary and seized the symbol of authority of the Upper Legislative Chamber, the mace.
“This action is an act of treason, as it is an attempt to overthrow a branch of the Federal Government of Nigeria by force, and it must be treated as such.
“All Security agencies must stand on the side of due process and immediately mobilize their personnel to retrieve the mace and apprehend the mastermind and the perpetrators of this act.
“This action is also an affront on the legislature, and the Leadership of the House has come to express their support against this action.”
The statement also disclosed that the Senate proceeded with an executive closed door session and will release an updated statement. A spare mace was brought in to replace the one that was forcefully taken.
Credit: pulseng
