Senate To Investigate Alleged Police Invasion Of Akwa Ibom Assembly

The Senate, on Wednesday, ordered its Committee on Police Affairs to carry out an investigation into the alleged invasion of over 1,500 personnel of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), and report to it within 48 hours.

Following a point of order raised by Senator Bassey Albert Apkan, the Upper Legislative Chamber also summoned the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to appear before the Committee to defend the allegation.

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Akpan, who relied on orders 42 and 52, said that three, out of five members of the 28-member House impeached the Speaker of the House.

He also alleged that the invasion is an orchestrated attempt to cause violence in Akwa Ibom State ahead of the 2019 general election.

“A couple of weeks ago, I brought a point of order to this floor on the pending threat to elections in Akwa Ibom. Then, three days ago, the Speaker of the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, acting on the order of a court of competent jurisdiction, in a case where the Speaker was a defendant, declared the seats of five members of the House of Assembly vacant.

“Let me place it on record that these five members of the State Assembly went to court to compel the Speaker not to declare their seats vacant upon their defection to a political party. It is on the basis of the judgement of the court that the Speaker declared their seats vacant.

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“After this, the next thing we heard, I was told, was that three, out of five members of Akwa Ibom State Assembly, went in, and presided over by one of the members, and said they have impeached the Speaker of the House of Assembly.

“Mr. President, just this morning, the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly has been sealed off by over 1,500 policemen, and I believe that a threat to a democracy in Akwa Ibom is a threat to democracy in Nigeria.

“Mr. President, it is on good authority that I am here on behalf of the entire citizens of Akwa Ibom State to say that this is an orchestrated attempt to cause violence in Akwa Ibom State ahead of the (2019) general election, but we the Akwa Ibom people, we have maintained and have actually sustained the peace that actually enveloped the State in the last three and half years.

“So, my motion is that this Senate should direct the Committee on Police and the Committee on Legislative Compliance to direct the Inspector General of Police to redeploy the policemen from another constituted arm of government and to allow them sit and deliberate and take positions and actions that will aid good governance of Akwa Ibom State. I believe that this Senate has a responsibility to carry out this resolution,” Akpan prayed.

Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi drew the attention of the Chamber to its Rule.

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“While appreciating the concerns raised by our colleague, I want to draw our attention to our rule, which says, ‘Reference shall not be made to any matter on which a judicial decision is pending in such a way as by the opinion of the President of the Senate prejudice interest of the parties’,” Abdullahi pointed out.

“Senator Albert, is any judicial decision pending on this matter?” Saraki asked.

“There is no judicial notice pending on the matter,” Akpan replied.

“Senator Sabi, your point of order is over ruled,” Saraki said.

In his contribution to the motion, Senator Shehu Sani criticised the alleged action of the police.

“The motion raised by Senator Bassey is of serious concern. Laying siege and invading a state house of assembly is a condemnable act. There is no parliamentarian worthy of his conscience and conviction that should remain silent or endorse it.What happened in Akwa Ibom this morning is a breach of the principles of democracy and a serious violation of our Constitution as a nation and as a people.

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“This Parliament must take a very strong stand. If this can happen to a state house of assembly in Akwa Ibom, it will soon happen here. And we all have a duty irrespective of our political affiliations to speak laud and clear and unambiguously, that the invasion and sealing of the state house of assembly of Akwa Ibom should be condemned. Positions should be taken that are clear and unambiguous. We should stand by the laws of the land. What happened in Akwa Ibom is an aberration and nobody worthy of his senses should support it,” Sani said.

In his remark, the Senate President, Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, vehemently condemned the alleged police invasion.

Saraki also directed the Senate Committee on Police to investigate the allegation, and report back to the Red Chamber within 48 hours.

“Distinguished colleagues, I think we should rise above partisan stance. What is wrong is wrong. As parliamentarians, we cannot go partisan in this matter. If it is true that security agents have invaded the House of Assembly which is a separate arm of government, it is wrong and must be condemned in its totality.

“However, we cannot conclude on it now because it is an allegation by our member. The matter should be looked into; there should be an investigation into it to quickly establish if it is so. Chairman of the Committee on Police to urgently investigate what happened and report to Senate in 48 hours,” Saraki said.

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